Blofield Farm Shop opening food hall and cafe inside hotel

The Oaklands Hotel in Thorpe St Andrew, Norwich. Picture: Steve Adams (Image: Archant)

Marcus Pearcey, who also owns The Butcher Bhoy pub in Norwich, is launching the Blofield Food Hall and Cafe inside Oaklands Hotel in Yarmouth Road where he has “family connections”.

It will occupy one of the two function rooms, which has been empty for months due to coronavirus, and the cafe will sit 70 to 80 people with seating inside and outside on the garden terrace.

The food hall itself will include a large butchery with an on-site hanging room, a deli with locally-sourced cheeses and cooked meats, a hamper shop and a takeaway for breakfasts and lunches.

They will also be selling 22 Norfolk gins alongside local ciders, ales and wines which will also be stocked in the main hotel bar.

Marcus Pearcey outside the Blofield Farm Shop which has proved very popular during lockdown Picture: Supplied (Image: Archant)

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Mr Pearcey said: “I thought about the queues of people we’ve had outside Blofield Farm Shop and had a eureka moment of creating a food hall.

“I have been in there seven days a week since getting it ready and it will be open by the end of July latest.”

Mr Pearcey has been overwhelmed with the support for the Blofield Farm Shop, which is five miles east of the city, during lockdown.

Work is underway to transform the empty function room at Oaklands Hotel, which will include a 70 to 80-seater cafe Picture: Marcus Pearcey (Image: Archant)

Mr Pearcey said: “I bought the farm shop a few years ago and never really got involved day-to-day as I didn’t have the time.

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“But when lockdown happened I worked there every day for a few months and set about sourcing amazing produce, including lamb from the Holkham Estate.

“Our trade has gone ridiculously up and not just because of lockdown anymore as people can go to the supermarket and get delivery slots, but people are making a conscious effort to support Norfolk producers and farms.”

The cafe will have seating indoors and outdoors on the garden terrace Picture: Marcus Pearcey (Image: Archant)

Mr Pearcey has also gone the extra mile for the community by providing free daily hot meals in Thorpe St Andrew and Blofield, with help from volunteers, to the vulnerable and offering free hotel rooms to the NHS.