National pizza chain heading to 'refined' Great Yarmouth street

Pizza GoGo, which has some 100 branches, is bringing its second outlet to Norfolk, the only other branch being in Wensum Street, Norwich.

It plans to open with a 50pc discount in the next week from its new base at The Embassy Hotel, in Camperdown, which will continue to operate as normal.

Kashif Jan, the man behind the new franchise, said it was taking space in a former function room area of the hotel which was no longer used.

However, conservationists have taken issue with proposed signs they say would spoil the "sense of refinement and restraint" in the conservation area, a stone's throw from Yarmouth's busy Golden Mile.

A bid to put up Pizza GoGo signs at Great Yarmouth's Embassy Hotel in Camperdown, Great Yarmouth, is meeting resistance. (Image: Liz Coates)

A bid for the new signs advertising the takeaway has been submitted to Great Yarmouth Borough Council.

The authority's conservation section says the character of the Grade II listed terrace, which dates from 1844-1847 and is flanked at the seafront end by the Carlton and Nelson Hotels, would be harmed by the signs, one of which would be illuminated.

Conservationists have objected to proposed Pizza GoGo signs at Great Yarmouth's Embassy Hotel in Great Yarmouth saying the amount and scale of the signs should be reduced to limit the impact. (Image: Liz Coates)

The papers add: "The character of the Camperdown conservation area is also defined architecturally by its uniformity of style, sense of refinement and restraint which makes it differ from the adjacent seafront conservation area."

The Victorian Society has also objected.

It says the signage would introduce "a foreign element."

The Embassy Hotel in Great Yarmouth (Image: Liz Coates)

The society said in a letter: "This proposal concerns a significant Grade II listed building within a conservation area. "

"The proposed signs would harm this significance... and would introduce a foreign element at odds with the historic and architectural character of the building."

Pizza GoGo is opening a new shop in Great Yarmouth, but concerns have been raised over signage in a conservation area. (Image: supplied by Pizza GoGo)

The application is for two signs; one long, narrow one on the outside edge of the building, and a smaller, round one on the front.

Mr Jan said he needed something visible and was happy to work with the authorities to find a solution.

The hotel is Grade II listed and was once a private house.

To view the plans visit the borough council's planning portal quoting reference 06/21/0895/A.