Block Norwich will help regenerate centre and support local businesses

The multi-million pound arena and food court will be built where the old Mountergate car park once stood

Author: Tom ClabonPublished 14th Dec 2021

The city centre and local business are those who will benefit most from a new multi-million venue opening in Norwich next Spring.

That's according to James Bradbury who put forward the proposal for Block Norwich, a 300-seate arena, stage and food court that'll be built on the old Mountergate car park.

Mr Bradbury told us that the response so far has been great: "Somebody that's got a business in Norfolk working with us, can quickly expand that business globally. We've spoken to a few Norwich outfits already and that's there biggest excitements about working with us. That way to safety expand with minimal cost and barriers to entry".

He went on to say that bringing people back to the city, is key to this new project: "I think a lot of people have got out of the habit of coming into city centres. So, something new and interesting with fresh products it makes you feel good if you know that you're support the local community.

"That's really the focus of it, working with local people and giving them the chance to do things that they've never been able to do before".

Mr Bradbury told us how the venue ended up coming to Norwich: "My girlfriend is Petra Kidd, the famous Norfolk author. I was telling what we were doing and she said 'you should do it in Norwich'.

"When she said this I just looked at her, because while I've always had a home in Norfolk and loved it here, I've honestly never been that successful in finding a meaningful role here".

He concluded by saying that Norwich's position really appealed to them when deciding whether or not put a proposal in: "I don't think there's many cities, aside from one, that has the reach that Norwich has. If you draw a 50 mile radius around Norwich you have Ipswich, Kings Lynn and the whole of north Norfolk. So Norwich has an enormous catchment area".

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