Newark on Trent : Try to forget what Jasper Carrott said about it! (Newark-on-Trent)

Member Name: englishrose

Product:	Newark-on-Trent
Date:	23/06/09 (75 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Historic. Pleasant riverside area.

Disadvantages: Small town disadvantages.

Newark on Trent, known locally as simply Newark, is a town in the east of the county of Nottinghamshire. As the name implies, it sits on the River Trent, and is a mix of olde-worlde history and modern conveniences.

Ideally situated for transport links, Newark is very close to the A1 and also hosts main link roads to Lincolnshire to its' east, and the west of Nottinghamshire. There is also a main route to the city of Nottingham which is around 15 miles away. Bus services to all these places run frequently from Newark town centre.

Newark town centre has a range of the usual chain stores combined with some smaller local shops - there are several little cafes and delicatessens, as well as more expensive boutiques for clothing and gifts.

There is no main indoor shopping centre, as all the shops are arranged in an open air precinct around the main market square. The old town hall, also on the market place, is known as 'The Buttermarket' and this houses small shops and stalls. It is also the home of what is now Newarks' only public toilet, unfortunately. Some of the buildings around the market square date back to the 1600's.

The market runs every day of the week, selling a mixture of fruit and veg, clothing, gifts, pet supplies and all the usual fare. One day a week is flea market day, at my last visit this was a Tuesday, but is subject to change.

Newark has a Morrisons supermarket in the middle of the town, and a Waitrose on an out of town development. As far as I know, this is the extent of the supermarket provision in the area: It is a matter of personal opinion whether you feel it's positive or negative that a town this size doesn't yet have a Tesco or Asda!

Other than shopping, Newark is quite good for sightseeing: Newark Castle stands on the banks of the River Trent and is a really interesting afternoon - there is also a museum attached called the Gilstrap Centre.

During the summer months, various festivals are held on the park that is alongside the river, which are free to enter and always a nice atmosphere.

Places to eat tend to be the usual fast food or little cafes, although further out of town there are a couple of pubs that provide food.

Further along the river, on a street called Millgate, there is another museum, and in my opinion this is better than the castle: Free to enter, activities are laid on for children in school holidays, and it is full of artefacts about local life and history. Some rooms are also given over to art exhibitions, so there is always something new to see there.

Just outside here, you can if you wish, take a pleasure boat cruise along the River Trent. Costing around £10 per person for a couple of hours, this can be a really relaxing and enjoyable way to spend some time, and the scenery is lovely. (There is a bar on board, always a bonus).

One place the boat takes you to is Farndon, a short distance along the river from Newark - Here there is a really nice pub/restaurant and picnic tables outside on the river bank, well worth a trip down there on a summer evening.

Overall, Newark on Trent is an interesting place, but it is a small town, so it's not for people looking for the big city experience! (or even a big town experience, come to think about it!).

However, in summertime, it does get it's fair share of tourists on the history trail, and it's worth a day out there if you are in the area.

Summary: Stop by if you're in the area.