A new community micropub with room for up to 40 people could come to Norwich.

A planning application, submitted to Norwich City Council on December 20, proposes to turn the current retail premises at 163 Magdalen Street into a micropub, with the planned name of The Malt and Mardle.

The building has previously housed hair and beauty business Global Village and, most recently, the Norwich branch of Great Yarmouth-based Flint Motorcycles.

Since the last occupiers left earlier this year, the premises have sat empty and have been offered as a pop-up retail shop.

Elliot Dransfield, who lives in the north of the city, lodged the application under the company name Lazy Ale Ltd, a new firm incorporated on November 18.

Mr Dransfield said: "The ethos of our pub will be to create a space that has a friendly, cosy atmosphere and a community focus."

He added that he and his business partners are "very much sitting with our fingers crossed" while waiting for the outcome of their application.

Micropubs are smaller than regular watering holes, are usually based in a single room and have a focus upon serving cask ales rather than spirits or lager.

The proposed name for the pub, The Malt and Mardle, has been chosen to reflect ale – their "star product" – and the word from the Norfolk dialect meaning 'to chat or gossip'.

If successful in their bid, the company plans to create three jobs, one full-time and two part-time.

The application requests that the micropub is permitted to open between 2pm and 11pm on weekdays and from midday to 11pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

In a concept statement, the applicants said: "Our offering will be kept simple and minimal, with a very limited selection of cask ale, cider, beer cans, gin, wine, soft drinks and some small pub snacks available.

"As we want our brand to embody a community spirit and pride in the area – as reflected in our pub name – some of our beverages on offer will be locally produced."

"Three micropubs operate in Norfolk, but our hope is to open the first in Norwich," they added.

The application is expected to be decided upon by Monday, February 15, 2021.