Newcastle Arms, Newark

Dating from 1842, it was reformed in the 1930s into the present two-storey building with a flat roof. It was last refitted in the late 1950s and is virtually unchanged since then making this a rare pub interior. The main door on George Street leads into a short passage with doors to the left and right and still retaining its off sales hatch in a part wood, part leaded glass screen. On the right is the Lounge with carpet on lino tiled floor, a lapped bar counter of a 1930s style with a black Formica top, the modest bar back fitting consists of shelves on a beaten copper backing and looks late 1950s / early 1960s, the upholstered fixed seating could well be from the 1950s, there are some Formica top tables from the late 50s.

The Public Bar on the left has a lino tiled floor, a 1950s style bar counter with a black Formica top, another modest bar back of the late 50s, the fixed seating is 1950s with modest baffles at each end and there is a dado of ply panels. More lino tiling in the passage to the toilets at the rear – Gents’ has green tiled walls and original urinal, Ladies’ has orange tiled walls – all look to date from the 1950s. There is a sliding door to the servery for staff on the passage between the two bars at the rear. Retains original doors – the only changes appears to be changing the exterior windows to uPVC ones.

It is owned by a private business pension fund and leased to Karen Hindle, run by her and partner Harvey Wood – who claims to have rescued it from closure as he lives across the road. The reason for no changes at the pub is that after the refit it was run by the same licensee for 30 odd years. Open 1.30 (12 Fri, Sat, Sun) to 12. Sells Black Sheep Best Bitter and Fullers London Pride. The pub is one of half a dozen in the recently reformed Newark and District Table Skittles League (after 2 year closure) – note the addition of a wire from 6 ins up the pole to the corner of the board to make it more challenging to knock down all 9 skittles – the board here was built by a local.