A comedy drama about a seaside café and community struggling with change is about to go on tour.

Time and Tide centres on a crumbling Cromer Pier café battling against the arrival of coffee chain shops, and the emotional conflicts of its staff.

Writer James McDermott, from Holt, got the idea for the play when working at a café in the town to fund his Master of Arts in scriptwriting at UEA.

He said: “I was inspired by the relationships I forged with colleagues, seeing older customers with unlived dreams, and my own experience of the gay scene in Norfolk.

“Time and Tide also looks at the changing nature of communities and high streets caused by the growth of commercial chains, and celebrates the beauty and absurdity of everyday life."

Characters include café owner May, who has lived a sheltered life in the business and her bumbling bread man Ken, who, like May, is losing customers due to the advent of coffee chain Costa.

There is also staff member Nemo, a young gay man with stage career aspirations that are drawing him to London, and Daz, his cheeky straight mate.

The script explores human, LGBTQ and social issues such as the impact of second homes.

Mr McDermott said he hoped Time and Tide showed audiences, who were “used to seeing representations of the lives of kings, queens or middle-class heroes”, that “the lives of everyday people who work in a cafe can be just as heroic, profound, poignant, dignified and interesting as the lives of the more conventional characters we’re used to seeing on stage.”

Norwich Theatre is producing the play in partnership with the theatre company Relish Theatre.

Evening shows will take place: Norwich Theatre Stage Two, September 29-30; Mercury Colchester, October 1; Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, October 4-5; The Seagull, Lowestoft, October 6; Sheringham Little Theatre, October 7-8; Wells Maltings, October 10; The Corn Hall, Diss, October 11; St Georges Theatre, Great Yarmouth, October 12; The Carnegie, Thetford, October 13; Fisher Theatre, Bungay, October 14; Norwich Theatre Stage Two, October 18-23 (also 2.30pm shows).