We’re proud of our pubs in Manchester, and one very special one is The Circus Tavern on Portland Street. There are many intriguing things about this hidden-in-plain-sight little gem, but the main one is the claim that The Circus Tavern is the smallest bar in Europe, which we absolutely can believe.
The Circus Tavern is the smallest bar in Europe
Right from the get go, you’re reminded of the pub’s reputation, with a mural on the entrance to The Circus Tavern reading “The smallest bar in Europe. The biggest welcome in the world!“. The Circus Tavern has two rooms off the bar area, and they’re pretty small, with room for just a couple of tables at most.
The bar itself is pretty petite, too, with only room for two individual pumps (one currently pumping the newly reinstated Boddingtons Cask), and one four-tap beer tower. This makes it the kind of place that only offers the very best, each handpicked and rotated regularly.
One of the oldest pubs in Manchester
The Circus’ building dates back to 1790, but it was not until 1842 that a brewery took over the existing house to make it The Circus Tavern pub – it’s currently a Tetley pub. It joins a long line of the oldest pubs in Manchester, which includes the likes of The Marble Arch, Peveril of the Peak, The Britons Protection and The Castle Hotel.
Why is it called The Circus Tavern?
Supposedly, The Circus Tavern is named so because performers from the city’s then-permanent circus used to frequent there. We’ll leave it to you to say whether it’s still populated by clowns…
Famous people welcomed by The Circus Tavern
Although The Circus is small, it be mighty, and it has welcomed its fair share of legends. The pub famously welcomed George Best regularly during his tenure at Manchester United – with the pub even serving a George Best bitter– making it very much a Reds pub, plus other Manc sporting icons like David Beckham, Eric Cantona and the late Ricky Hatton. What’s more, those pesky Corrie regulars don’t just frequent the Rovers Return, as The Circus has seen it’s fair share of them too… and of course, all their claims to fame adorn the walls of the tiny pub.
Where can I find The Circus Tavern?
The pub is squished between a Chinese tea room, and a chippy on Portland Street in the Piccadilly area of Manchester.
📍 The Circus Tavern, 86 Portland St, Manchester M1 4GX.