The new Norfolk Food Hall, showcasing the best of food and farming, opens to the public tomorrow at the Showground near Norwich. General Manager George Brentnall explains more
The largest Food Hall in Norfolk opens tomorrow (Thursday May 22, 2025), creating a unique new project designed to showcase and sell the very best food and drink produced in the county. The 3,500 square foot Norfolk Food Hall with its 220-seater restaurant, boasts at least 70% of all the products sourced from producers in Norfolk and Suffolk. The facility has also been designed to inform and connect people to the produce grown within Norfolk, with interpretive boards and information illustrating the county’s vibrant and dynamic food production industry. As well as a showcase the Norfolk Food Hall will provide a hub for product development and for communities coming together.
Mark Nicholas, Managing Director of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association which created the new space, says: “The Norfolk Food Hall is unique in the way it tells the story of farming and the amazing people who produce our food and drink. “It’s a really challenging environment for farming now and anything we can do to connect the general public, and farming is only a good thing. So much of what is produced in the county is of the highest standards in the world, from malting barley and wine to livestock and cheese, and we want to make sure people are aware of how this happens and be proud of their county’s farming achievements.
“As a charity the RNAA is uniquely placed to create a food hall that is not only a fantastic opportunity to buy top quality food, but where people can support farming through their spending. As a charity we reinvest all the surpluses made from our projects back into our charitable objectives, which in turn supports the promotion and education of food, farming and the countryside all year round. We are hoping that the success of the Norfolk Food Hall will become a virtuous circle, as the more we are supported by the community, the more we can promote and support our exceptional farmers and producers.”
George Brentnall, General Manager, Norfolk Food Hall said “I am excited to see the Norfolk Food Hall farm shop and restaurant become a vibrant hub, directly connecting people with the exceptional food and drink produced right here in Norfolk. Bringing this vision to life has been a fantastic team effort, fuelled by the passion and dedication of everyone involved. We’re incredibly excited to open our doors to all on May 22nd and offer a unique experience that tells the stories behind Norfolk’s produce and the people who make it happen.”
The new food hall will contain a butchery counter by Tony Perkins Butchers, a delicatessen counter with take away coffee and cake, fresh produce and range of groceries from chocolate and beer to biscuits, wine and local snacks. The restaurant will provide a menu of locally sourced dishes including breakfast, lunch, and Norfolk Food Hall special blend coffee along with cakes and scones made in the kitchen.
Visitors will also be able to enjoy use of outside seating, a children’s play area, and access to green space at the Showground for exercising dogs and enjoying the fresh air. A full 5Km Showground Trail is scheduled to open in September.
Funding for the £3m build of the new Norfolk Food Hall has come from grants and donations from Norfolk County Council, trusts and charities supporting agriculture (including the RNAA), local businesses and individuals – all who have a shared passion for promoting food and farming in the county.
The Norfolk Food Hall, based at the Showground near Norwich, will be open seven days a week: Monday to Saturday 8.30am-6pm (restaurant closes at 5.30pm) and Sunday 10am-4pm (restaurant closes at 3.30pm). Follow on @norfolk_foodhall on Instagram.
Featured image of the Norfolk Food Hall management team (General Manager George Brentnall is pictured third from left) – supplied by the RNAA
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