A collection of Colman's artefacts could be back on public display in the future, according to the owner of the brand.

Norwich Evening News: Colman's Mustard shop and museum in Norwich's Royal Arcade. Photo: Bill SmithColman's Mustard shop and museum in Norwich's Royal Arcade. Photo: Bill Smith (Image: Archant)

The artefacts, which chart the famous Norwich brand's history, were taken into storage when the Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum – previously located in Norwich's Royal Arcade – closed in April last year.

Since then the museum's collection have remained behind closed doors.

Now Unilever, which makes Colman's Mustard, has said it is to explore how the items could once more be put on display somewhere in the city.

A spokesman for Unilever said: 'We have a range of historical artefacts in our archives at the moment for safe-keeping and would love to create a display in Norwich to celebrate Colman's as one the city's best known brands.

Norwich Evening News: The former location of the Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum in The Royal Arcade which has panning permission to be turned inot a restaruant. Picture: Sabrina JohnsonThe former location of the Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum in The Royal Arcade which has panning permission to be turned inot a restaruant. Picture: Sabrina Johnson (Image: Archant)

'We will be exploring opportunities for how we might be able to do this when we have more details to share.'

Since the store closed, its former premises in the Royal Arcade have remained empty.

A planning application to merge the unit with the shop next door, formerly The Tannery, a leather goods retailer, and the first floor unit was approved in July last year.

Adrian Fennell, from Roche Surveyors, which looks after premises in the Royal Arcade, said: 'We were very sorry to see The Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum leave the arcade.

'We didn't want them to go. We were very supportive of the shop and museum but I'm afraid we were a victim of its circumstances.'

Commenting on the plans for the premises, he added: 'We are intending to merge the unit with the one next door and above to create a restaurant space.'

The Colman's Mustard Shop and Museum was opened in 1973 as a temporary display to commemorate 150 years of J&J Colman's, but proved so popular it remained open for a further 44 years.

In January 2018, Unilever announced that the Colman's Mustard factory, located at the Carrow Works site in Trowse, would close in 2019 with production moving to Burton-upon-Trent and Germany.

Where would you like to see the Colman's artefacts displayed? Email your ideas to sabrina.johnson@archant.co.uk