An historic brewery is welcoming visitors through its digital doors via a new virtual experience.
In the era of social distancing it means people can still visit the Lacons museum and shop in Main Cross Road, Great Yarmouth, and travel through time and space thanks to 360 degree technology.
Visitors can click tags inviting them to explore videos and an impressive collection of brewery memorabilia from the 1800’s through to the 1960’s, including an original Lacons television commercial from the 1980’s.
Amy Hancock, director of Swig Agency which has curated the tour, said it brought some “innovation and modernity” to the museum experience which Lacons are very proud of.
She said: “Lacons has this amazing museum that they have had in Great Yarmouth since 2013, It’s a bit of a hidden gem and now visitors to Lacons new website can submerge themselves into Lacons history from the comfort of their own homes.”
“It opens the experience up to the whole community allowing everyone the chance to access and enjoy the museum.
“One of the tags clicks the visitor through to a 20 minute long brewery tour filmed in 1957 at Lacons brewery, showing the whole brewing process from barley to the bar.
“It’s a real step back in time and quite unique.”
After the tour visitors can take a fun quiz to test how much they have taken in.
MORE: Brewery gives away 20,000 pints of award-winning beerMick Carver, Lacons managing director, said the virtual tour was all part of connecting with people at home.
Since Covid-19 had such a devastating effect on pubs, the business had had to diversify and adapt, he said.
A good summer meant sales had been tracking at around 75pc but the winter was likely to be tough.
Delivering direct to the consumer had become the focus of their new website, and so far he said he had been bouyed by the support.
“Diversification is the key word for us,” he said.
“How we can adapt to a landsliding business arena.
“We brew great beer and we have some great facilities. We cannot get people down here at the moment so we are going out to them.”
The Lacons name goes back to the mid 18th century. To take the tour visit www.lacons.co.uk and click the history menu.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here