86 Portland Street
Manchester
M1 4GX
07863 349957
Traditional Town Pub, 3* Heritage Pub
The tiny Circus Tavern is an amazing survivor right in the heart of Manchester (photo 1). It is in a row of late 18th century cottages which looks ripe for redevelopment, but the Circus and its near neighbour the Grey Horse are both still standing. Even more surprising, the Circus has retained its Victorian two-roomed layout and fittings.
The pub claims that the bar is the smallest in Europe and with space for only one person it’s hard to disagree (photo 2). The narrow corridor gives access to two rooms, each with seating space for just a few people. The front room has bench seating with just two tables and walls covered by photos of Manchester United players dating back to the 1950s (photo 3). The rear room is a similar size and also has walls stuffed with photos.
The pub has a solid bunch of regulars but also welcomes tourists, often from abroad, who have come to squeeze into the famous tiny space. The old Tetley’s signs outside have disappeared recently but Tetley Bitter is still a regular along with one other cask beer.
