Norfolk chef Charlie Hodson has announced he is opening a cheese room and delicatessen, sharing the best of Norfolk’s produce as well as his famous sausage rolls.

Mr Hodson is opening the store, Hodson & Co, in Aylsham in mid-September.

He said: “I’ve been singing and dancing about how fantastic Norfolk producers are for eight or nine years now. During lockdown I was deeply saddened to see what had happened to our industry through no fault of our own and started thinking about what the future of the sector might look like.”

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Mr Hodson said that he wanted the cheese room to emulate boulangeries in Europe.

He said: “I remember walking into boulengeries in France and that wall of fragrance just hitting you. I want that kind of feel and there are so many fantastic cheese producers, wine makers and distilleries – as well as everything else – in Norfolk and Suffolk that I know we can achieve it.

“I’ll also be making seven custom sausage rolls every day to serve in the shop. I’ll make them all myself on the day so they’ll be really fresh and sourced with meat from around the corner at Coxford’s.

“Talking to people during lockdown I realised a lot of people like cooking in their own home but don’t know where to buy stuff. And then if they did go into the butcher wouldn’t know what to do with a cut when they got home. So this is a shop run by a chef for the chef at home.”

As well as a shop Mr Hodson will also use the space as a commercial kitchen for a new bespoke dining service he is launching with Walnut Tree Catering.

“I’ve been friends with the team at Walnut Tree for years now and this partnering up seemed to be like the perfect time to do it,” he said.

“That initiative will be launching in December so it’ll be in time for Christmas.”

Mr Hodson is also an ambassador for Hospitality Action UK, a charity which supports people in the hospitality sector who are struggling with their financial and mental health.

He asked anyone in the sector who had been impacted by the pandemic and needed support to get in touch with the charity via the website.