Circus Hub celebrates ten years of aerial fun at Sneinton Market

If the gym has never quite clicked, Sneinton Market's Circus Hub offers a joyful alternative. Its founders, Kay Monrose and Ria Ashcroft, teach aerial silks, hoop, rope and trapeze, and in January 2026 they told LeftLion they set up in the market's units ten years ago this year.

Both came to circus by different routes. Ria trained at Greentop Circus Centre in Sheffield around twenty years ago and fell in love with aerial and acrobatics. Kay had done yoga but no gymnastics when a friend invited her to a class; one go on an aerial hoop was enough. She later travelled to Australia for a trapeze course, and on her return the pair set up Circus Hub, initially looking for a space with enough height to train for a run of Christmas shows.

Inclusivity sits at the heart of the place. The team works with disabled young people and adults, runs sessions for SEND young people and their families, and offers classes for neurodiverse people, setting the room up like a giant playground with crash mats all around. Nervous beginners can visit first or book private sessions to build confidence.

"It's a very common misconception that you need to be strong or go to the gym first," Kay said. "You build up strength and flexibility and don't really realise you're doing it." Ria, who has spoken about how aerial work helps her mental health, put it even more strongly: "I do believe that circus can save lives."

There is a circus babies class too, a sensory play session on the aerial equipment with stretches for parents. That idea grew into something bigger: in May 2026 Ria's theatre company Rebel Sparks brought Take Flight, an aerial show for 0 to 2 year olds and their grown-ups, to Lakeside Arts, developed with input from developmental psychologist Dr Valentina Sclafani.

The hub's own website currently highlights a new Sunday youth aerial class from 11am to midday, alongside performance shows from its students.

Students' cabarets are a highlight for the founders, who love seeing people put a whole routine together with their own music and costumes.

Class timetables, courses and booking details are on the Circus Hub website.