Famous for being the home town of Alan Partridge, home to the Canaries and the birthplace of Colman’s Mustard, delegates will see the best of the city.
Teaming with ancient streets and alleyways alongside heritage sites, Norwich is a cathedral city with a lot of history, and was also previously named one of the best places to live in the UK by the Sunday Times.
This rich history, especially its medieval architecture and status as England’s first UNESCO City of Literature combined with its vibrant arts and entertainment scene, and strong food culture means there is plenty going on.
According to Visit Norwich, there are 10 pubs and bars per square mile in the city.
The city is rumoured to offer a pub for every day of the week and is home to a number of beer festivals including the City of Ale, Norwich Beer Festival and Norwich Craft Beer Festival.
Fine city
More than 2.2m visit the city a year, with the county’s hospitality, retail and tourism sector supporting more than 54,000 jobs, contributing £3bn to the local economy, according to Work in Norwich.
Philip Cutter moved to Norwich in 1981 and runs the Gardeners Arms/ Murderers in the city.
He, alongside his twin brother, began working weekends at the pub in 1987 and moved up the managerial ladder at the site since.
Are you in the club?
The MA Leaders Club is open to multi-site pub operators and meets three times a year around the country for a day of business-focused presentations from top experts and operators/owners.
The day is followed by an evening study tour of new and exciting venues. If you're interested in joining and attending this top event, sign up here .
Cutter will be outlining what Norwich is like to operate in during the conference. Speaking about the area, he said: “On all the roads that approach into Norwich, the sign declares ‘Welcome to the Fine City’.
“Norwich has an eclectic range of hostelries, fantastic local beers, innovative independent brewers and friendly locals.”
Cutter will be joined by Anglian Country Inns’ Cliff Nye, multiple operator Marcus Pearcey and who will highlight where the opportunities in the local market are.
Jam-packed agenda
Elsewhere on the agenda, Alix Partners’ Craig Rachel will outline the impact of economic turbulence on the pub and bar sector when it comes to investment and M&A activity.
With the Government Budget announcement looming, delegates will also hear about the potential fiscal changes and how operators can prepare from the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) CEO Steve Alton.
Meanwhile, Poppleston Allen solicitor Elizabeth Varley will provide a comprehensive overview of the proposed changes to the licensing regime.
Curtis Paxman of Brewfitt will also explore how next generation technology is reshaping the drinks offer in pubs and bars, looking at practical innovations operators aca adopt to help futureproof their businesses.
What’s more, attendees will hear from Laine managing director Russell Danks, who will share how the business is rebuilding its estate for the next generation.
MA Leaders Norwich marks the final event for 2025, don’t miss out in 2026, join the club here.
