A note from Al,
Hello, long time no speak! I hope you all had a restful festive period, it’s not long now until the days are longer and brighter, we’ve so nearly made it out of winter. I hope. This newsletter is a big one, I’m a little nervous about it to be honest, firstly you might see things look a little different around here, I’ve had a spruce up of the newsletter design, I’ve introduced some fun new sections, for example this newsletter features a Q for you all to answer, I’m genuinely intrigued to see what you say!
And secondly the big one, today see’s the launch of The Neighbourhood, our community do-good membership. This is something I’ve been thinking about and formulating for 2 years now (no, I’m not exaggerating). I’ve wanted to create something that helps solidify the future of nozza news alongside being genuinely helpful to local creatives and business owners and hopefully The Neighbourhood will be the solution. You can read more about it here and I’ve gone into some more details at the end of this newsletter.
As always, pass this newsletter on to your pals, head out into the streets & support our locals. Best, Al x
¶ Independent Venue Week | 26 Jan - 1 Feb
An annual and national celebration of independent music & arts venues is back! There’s a few venues taking part and hosting events to celebrate in Norwich, head to The Holloway, Norwich Arts Centre, Voodoo Daddy’s, Epic or The Waterfront to peruse specific events & nights. There’s enough events to fill a whole newsletter!
¶ Gray Area Gallery Private View | 6 Feb, 7-9pm
Local contemporary gallery Gray Area are hosting another exhibition, and of-course that means an excuse for a PV. Their latest exhibition is titled Landmark and aims to portray Norfolk through the lens of 5 local artists.
¶ Letting The Light In | 31 Jan, 2-5pm
This is happening tomorrow so be quick to book your (free) tickets. The Sainsbury Centre are hosting an afternoon of creative workshops and performances on the eve of Imbolc, the folklore festival marking the returning light at the end of the Celtic winter. In collab with artists, writers and Norfolk & Waveney Mind the event is a space for hope, reflection and renewal.
¶ Carrow House & The Forgotten Vaults Tour | Launched Jan, Selected Days
The Shoebox Experiences have launched a new tour exploring the story of Carrow House, the once residence for the infamous Colman Family. And dare I say it, one of the most beautiful orangeries. The tour will take you inside and through the building venturing below ground into its forgotten vaults too. More deets in the link above.
¶ Norwich Seed & Plant Swap | 22 Feb, 1-4pm
Norfolk Organic Group are hosting their annual seed and plant swap. Bring along your extra seed, cuttings or potted plants and swap them for something you’ve had your eyes on. The swap is being held in the St Mary Magdalene Church Hall on Silver Road.
¶ Norwich Food Week | 27 Feb - 8 March
Now, I know we’re all foodies here, Visit Norwich are hosting a Norwich Food Week, they’ve brought together more than 40 foodie establishments with specially created menus. They’ve created an app to go alongside the week which I’m told has a host of discounts and special offers.
This leads me nicely on to my first Q of the year…
QUESTION TIME
Whats your order?
Let me know your favourite spot in Norwich & what you order.
Put us all onto the good stuff
Responses will be published in the next newsletter
¶ Norwich Print Fair | Submissions Open
Calling all local print makers, submissions are now open for the 2026 Norwich Print Fair. You can apply online via the link above with the closing date for applications being Feb 20th. Good luck!
¶ Toasthaus Studios | Opening
Big news for little nozza, a new fully equipped photography studio near the station has launched. It’s set within a beautiful refurbished church hall and aims to be a space for creatives to use and love. All deets about collaborating and booking in the link above.
¶ Norwich Sports Village | Granted Listed Status
This one’s for all of the architecture fans out there, the Norwich Sports Village has just been granted Grade 2 Listed Status after a successful campaign from C20. We might know it as the local David Lloyd Sports Club but it’s the only concrete structure in the UK to be designed by Swiss engineer Heinz Isler. A thing of beauty really.
¶ Broadly Speaking | Podcast Launch
The Broads Authority have launched a new podcast aptly named Broadly Speaking. It explores the peatlands through insightful conversations with scientists, landowners, farmers and water managers. Sounds interesting, you can listen to it now on Spotify, Soundcloud or Apple Podcasts.
¶ Writer in Residence | Norwich Market
I’m staying out of this pigeon debacle on the market but…. The Market are looking for a writer in residence for a project over the summer. In collaboration with The Common Lot and the National Centre for Writing they will be launching a new show On the Huh: 900 Years of Norwich Market, which will be performed in the summer. They’re looking for a writer to co-create short pieces of work with traders and customers. Alllll the info in the link above.
¶ Fika | Among best in UK
Beloved coffee shop Fika in Nozza has been named among the best in the UK and is now in the running for the world championships. Wild. The final list featuring the ‘worlds 100 best coffee shops’ will be published on Feb 16 - let’s all keep our fingers crossed.
A A WORD FROM OUR SPONSOR
Unmissable experiences with Norwich Science Festival
Book your tickets for a fantastic night out with friends
The city’s biggest celebration of science returns this February – and tickets are on sale now! Presented by The Forum, Norwich Science Festival brings an eclectic and unique programme of experiences, talks, shows and more from Saturday 14 February – Saturday 21 February.
This year, the Festival kicks off early with its first-ever late-night opening of the popular Explorium (Fri 13 Feb, 7.30pm). Introduced to celebrate Norwich Science Festival’s 10th anniversary, this event is just for adults – featuring a DJ and bar, a dazzling bubble show, fascinating talks, and interactive activities from LUSH Norwich, Norwich University of the Arts and local artist, Alice Lee. Even better - your first drink is included in your ticket!
Enjoy unique pairings of cheese and kombucha at YALM Foodhall (Sun 15 Feb, 6.30pm), whilst learning about the secrets of fermenting tea. Or if music is more your thing, join singer-songwriter Hannah Rose Platt at Norwich Arts Centre, as she pairs original music with long-hidden histories of women’s health (Tue 17 Feb, 7.30pm).
Local writer and poet John Osborne brings a brand-new show to Norwich, sharing his experiences of extreme responses to sounds (Tue 17 Feb, 7pm) with his trademark blend of humour and storytelling.
Book lovers - don’t miss Christie Watson and daughter Rowan Egberongbe as they explore communicating across generations in No Filters (Wed 18 Feb, 7pm), or consider the question of immortality with author Hanna Thomas Uose and biologist Simon Watt in Who Wants to Live Forever (Thu 19 Feb, 7pm).
The Festival closes with Out Thinkers (Sat 21 Feb, 7pm) at the National Centre for Writing – a brilliant evening of talks from local researchers, as they share their work and lived experiences as LGBTQ+ people working in STEMM.
You can explore the full programme and book tickets online.
¶ The Bodega at The Artichoke | 31 Jan, 4pm-9pm
Tomorrow! The Bodega are hosting a Detroit by the slice pizza pop-up. That’s a mouthful. They’ve just launched their menu and of-course it looks great. All slices are £5 and the pop-up will be on from 4pm until sellout. See you there.
¶ Etude Coffee | Shoutout
I stumbled across these guys the other day and I’ve never seen coffee look so beautiful. They describe themselves as a speciality coffee roastery and have just been announced as a finalist for the Food & Drink Producer of the Year. Keep an eye on them, I think they might be on to big things.
¶ Bun X at The Coach & Horses | Launch
The gang from The Bun X have announced their collaboration with The Coach and Horses on Thorpe Road. Treat yourself to some good grub if you’re heading that way, they have special match day menu’s alongside specials only available at The Coach.
¶ Weavers Arms | New Menu
The Weavers Arms on Muspole street have just bid farewell to their Tallow pop-up and have now launched a new menu, think pub classic vibes. They’ll also be offering weekly specials.
SUPPORT OUR MISSION
Join the neighbourhood
Times are hard, indies are struggling, and the govt isn't doing anything about it. So, let's put our money where our mouth is and show the true power of community. We’re launching The Neighbourhood, our monthly community membership which pledges 30% of its income into regular local grants.
For £3.50 a month, you will receive:
¶ The Neighbourhood Newsletter
An every other month digital newsletter published directly to your email inbox. And in the spirit of trad publications, each edition will include a bespoke comic featuring our friends from our resident illustrator, Arman Mohtadji.
¶ A Chance to Shape Our Future
I’ll chat to you within the newsletter about future ideas for nozza news and you can give me your ten pence. Let me know your thoughts, what we should be doing, who we should be talking to or where we should be showing up. nozza news will forever be shaped by you.
¶ A Role in the Community Grant Fund
The community grant fund will be a regular pot of money allocated to supporting local creatives, movers, makers and shakers. The Neighbourhood pledges 30% of its income to fund the local grant. As part of our community, you’ll help us decide (as a group) where this fund should be allocated. We’ll aim to award at least 1 grant a year.
¶ In The Know Deals and Perks
We’ll ask the advertisers of nozza news to cook up some deals, just for you. This might be giveaways, discounts, freebies, or press invites. You’ll gain bragging rights amongst your friends for life. Priceless.
¶ Tom Barrett | Photographer
Local photographer Tom Barrett has just had one of his images selected for the Portrait of Britain Vol.8 meaning his photograph will be displayed on digital screens nationwide from 12 Jan - 8 Feb. Incredible really.
¶ Lydia Gluck | Pom Pom Co-Founder
Lydia the co-founder of Pom Pom has just launched the most beautiful quilt pattern. It’s named the Kissing 9 Patch and features 30 pages of instruction, illustrations and photography. If that wasn’t enough Pom Pom have also recently published 2 books, Knit How and Crochet How. Have a gander and treat yourself.