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The Castle Barge, Newark
Newark
NG24 1DU
Reviews (Current Rating Average: 7½ of 10) see review guidelines
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Quinno _ left this review about The Castle Barge
A boat pub (converted from a grain barge in 1980), like an upmarket Charters in Peterborough. Down the stairs to the comfortable main bar with wood panelling and nautical ephemera, discrete bench booth seating and lots of dark varnish. Upstairs there is a lounge room and also deck seating for sunny days. Friendly barman behind the counter with two ales on over four pumps; Lincoln Green Marion and Stapleford Full Mash (fair). I quite liked it here and it’s well-worth doing as something a bit unusual. Newark has a good variety of pubs. 7.5
On 18th December 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 5072 recommendations about 5055 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Thuck Phat left this review about The Castle Barge
Well described already, this is an unusual and comfortable place for a pint.
The loos are nautical, the bar cosy and there's plenty of outside seating for sunny days.
A brief glance at the menu showed standard pub fare at standard pub prices.
Beers on were: Pheasantry Best Bitter, Dancing Dragon and Pale Ale alongside Lincoln Green Spring Green. Both reasonably local breweries but not the most inspiring range.
Another of Newark's finest which is well worth a visit but may not be my first stop.
On 19th May 2017
- rating: 7
[User has posted 679 recommendations about 678 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Bucking Fastard left this review about The Castle Barge
An iconic place to drink,the former grain barge has been lovingly converted with a dining area at deck level ,while down in the hold is a very atmospheric bar area with lots of wood panelling.Right in the stern there is an alcove with bench seating and a large table,while further along the seating is in red velour.Opposite the bar there are a rank of pews and interesting photos of olden days in Newark are dotted about,along with some nautical ephemera.In good weather the many bench seats on the quayside are a great place to soak up the sun and watch the passing boating traffic.
The barge opens at 10am for coffee and breakfast,pub grub meals everyday from noon,while I grabbed a pint at 11.30am but you could drink in here early doors from 10am !There is a community feel about the downstairs bar,with a quiz night,occasional live music,dog friendly but no children in the bar.
The ale selection was fine without being spectacular featuring a lot from Pheasantry ,my Dancing Dragonfly IPA was on good form.
This pub is well worth a visit if you are in Newark,and would fit into any real ale crawl.
On 12th May 2017
- rating: 8
[User has posted 2727 recommendations about 2727 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Alan Winfield left this review about The Castle Barge
The Castle Barge is pemanently moored on the River Trent and very handy for Newark Castle train station.
When i first did this pub it was a North Country tied house with a decent pint of North Country Bitter on the bar.
On our recent visit it is still pretty much the same,you go down steps to get to the main bar area with the bar on the left side,there are comfy pew seats on the right side,the floor is bare boarded,the front area is up some steps,there is an upper deck which seemed more popular with diners and there is seating outside on the banks of the River Trent.
There were three real ales on the bar,we had a drink of Full Mash Warlord which went down very well,then a drink of Full Mash Bhisti which was also very nice,the other beer was Marble Lagona IPA.
Food was being served and background music was playing.
We both thought this was a very pleasant pub to end our small Newark crawl on.
Will be back next time in Newark.
Pub first visited 27/3/1983
Recent visit 6/8/2016
On 16th October 2016
- rating: 8
[User has posted 6113 recommendations about 6113 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Aqualung . left this review about The Castle Barge
I only once recall going to a pub on a boat and that was a rubbish Bass Charrington tourist trap. This place which consists of what looks like a barge but with a mast is a lot better than that. It's small but larger than I had expected with a top deck room where children are allowed and the main bar downstairs.
I found it quite dark and gloomy here but I think in this case it is unavoidable.
The bar has just four hand pumps which on my visit had a cider, Taylor's Boltmaker, Lincoln Green Archer and Full Mash Seance.
I went for the Lincoln Green Archer which I found to be superb. It cost £3.10 with the CAMRA discount so is a bit pricy for the area but not outrageously so. Food here seems to consist of just pizzas.
It was quiet on my Saturday lunchtime visit but would imagine it gets busy in peak times. It's something of a novelty pub which is well worth a look but whether I would return I'm not so sure although I did like it.
On 17th September 2015
- rating: 7
[User has posted 2143 recommendations about 2143 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Old Boots left this review about The Castle Barge
A barge moored on the river opposite the Castle station with drinking space over two decks, plus a riverside terrace. The counter is located on the lower deck with three pulls of local micro's products in very good nick. There's built in seating with a nautical flavour, added to by the use of a ships wheel and telegraph. The interior is naturally very woody, it also has the usual screens and machines.
On 28th July 2014
- no rating submitted
[User has posted 3230 recommendations about 2939 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Will Larter left this review about The Castle Barge
A permanently moored barge with access via a gangplank near the stern, with steps down to the bar. This is quite small and cosy, for a boat, and nothing like the much larger barge found on the River Nene at Peterborough, for example. Just three hand pumps on the bar, with two beers available at the time of our mid-week visit. These were both from Full Mash brewery, in line with their policy of supporting local breweries. Definitely worth a visit for novelty value if nothing else, though the beer was good and I would not hesitate to include this one in a visit to Newark.
On 27th January 2014
- rating: 6
[User has posted 3733 recommendations about 3470 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Real Ale Ray left this review about The Castle Barge
Only a 5 min dash from Castle railway station, so managed to fit it in at the end of our crawl. Have to agree with Mark we to had a fabulous tasting ale on our visit, Full Mash Brewery Seance. We entered the barge on the right hand side and went down a few steps to the main bar. The bar downstairs was obviously quite dark, but there was an enclosed lounge area upstairs with plenty of windows. Beginning or end of your visit to Newark, the barge is defo worth a visit.
On 7th April 2013
- rating: 7
[User has posted 3382 recommendations about 3381 pubs]
Please Note: This review is over a year old.
Mark Davey left this review about The Castle Barge
On a recent crawl round Newark, we included this place for comedy effect and were actually advised not to bother by the bar maid at the Newcastle. What a pleasent surprise!! Just one cask ale, but a good one in Willeys and the place was nice and warm on a freezing February afternoon. The staff were very pleasent and provided sandwiches for some of our crew. We were just about the only people on the boat but I suspect things change as night gathers.
On 19th February 2012
- rating: 7
[User has posted 292 recommendations about 276 pubs]