Newark's full title is actually Newark-on-Trent, and it is a market town in Nottinghamshire which lies in the East Midlands, right on the banks of the River Trent. Historically, it was an important centre for the cloth and wool trades, but in recent times, it has become a popular place to live for commuters working in the city of Nottingham (20 miles away) and London (130 miles away).

Major employers in Newark include the NSK bearings factory (which employs around 800 staff), Laurens Patisseries (which supplies cakes to Tesco supermarkets), Currys (National distribution centre), Dixons (National distribution Centre), Ingersoll Dresser (pumps factory), and Vodafone (telecommunications). Newark's bi-monthly antiques fair is the largest in Europe, which also helps to bring a regular supply of money and tourists to the area.

The town is home to 37,000 occupants, the majority of who work in the services sector (hotels, restaurants, distribution, public administration, education and health.) The majority of jobs advertised by national and local recruitment agencies fall within these categories, although there are also a number of employment opportunities within the smaller manufacturing industry (brewing, food, and engineering.) Unemployment levels stand at around 1.2% which is below both the national and regional averages.