Norwich church helps restaurant open outside

Customers enjoying pizza from a Norwich restaurant will now be able to relax in the grounds of a nearby church.

St Peter Mancroft Church is working with local restaurant Brick Pizza to allow them to serve food and drinks outside using part of the churchyard.

Rev Canon Edward Carter, Vicar at the church, said: "Local businesses have had a very challenging time with the lockdown, especially in the market area. I’m delighted we can help Sean and George at Brick Pizza in this way. I used to run my own small business, and know how important they are to the life of any community.

"We keep the whole city centre in our prayers all the time, but using an otherwise empty space by the church will be a great practical way of showing our support. It’ll make a fantastic place to enjoy a pizza, and I hope it will draw more people back to other local stalls and shops too."
 
The area in question is the outer North churchyard, which has not been used as a burial ground for centuries. It has been fenced off and inaccessible for some time, but the gates will now be unlocked while Brick Pizza are open. Staff at the restaurant will supervise the area.

Speaking to the Norwich Evening News, co-owner of Brick Pizza, Sean Morrow, said: “We approached the church as inside we don’t have much space inside and asked if they’d be open to us using some of their outdoor space. We were very pleasantly surprised by how forward-thinking and supportive the community at the church were.”

Photo by Brick Pizza