Seven former Norwich music venues and what they are now

They brought the Jimi Hendrix Experience, the Beatles and David Bowie to Norwich, but now many of them are housing complexes, shops and in some cases lying empty.

The Ferry Boat Inn

Located on King Street in Norwich, the Ferry Boat Inn has now been replaced by a development of 41 new homes.

During its time as a music venue, it specialised in metal and heavy rock groups, with bands such as Bring Me The Horizon, Enter Shikari and King's Lynn's own Deaf Havana along with indie acts such as Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., Kimya Dawson and the Noisettes.

Cord Play at the Ferry Boat Inn. (Image: Archant © 2005)

Fat Pauly's

Fat Pauly's in Anglia Square. (Image: Newsquest)

Located on Edward Street, this venue has sat empty ever since Fat Pauly's closed in 2001.

Hidden away in a corner of Anglia Square, the venue hosted a wide variety of acts including Snow Patrol, The Damned and New Order, where a rare live bootleg called Long Farewell To Your Soul was recorded.

It also later became the venue of the Wilde Club, which brought legendary bands to the city early in their career including My Bloody Valentine, Nirvana and Mudhoney.

Great Universal play Fat Pauly's. (Image: Archant)

Grosvenor Rooms

The ballroom at the Grosvenor Rooms in 1956. (Image: Archant)

This venue on Prince of Wales Road has now been transformed into an office block named Grosvenor House.

The Grosvenor Rooms were one of the first Norfolk venues to embrace beat in the early 1960s and is best known for hosting the Beatles in May 1963, but it also hosted rock and roll star Gene Vincent in 1961.

Norwich Lads Club

Norwich Lads Club in 1988. (Image: Archant)

Now named the King's Centre on King Street, this venue was first opened by John Dain the chief constable of Norwich in 1918 as a way to keep young men on the straight and narrow.

But by the 1960s, it was loosing them up to the sounds of bands including The Who, Pink Floyd and Traffic.

Norwich Lads Club. Date: Sept 1994 (Image: Archant Library)

Orford Cellar

Orford Cellar nightclub, Norwich. (Image: Archant Library)

Now Norwich's Red Lion Street branch of Nandos, the cellar of the Orford Arms was the music centre of 1960s Norwich.

The venue was visited by David Bowie, Cream and even the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

The Owl Sanctuary

The Owl Sanctuary prior to its closure.

Currently standing empty after it was bought to make way for houses in 2019.

The old sign can still be seen above the doorway of the venue which once hosted indie bands such as Pip Blom, Palma Violets and Slaves, it also hosted McDonald's themed Black Sabbath tribute band Mac Sabbath.

The Owl Sanctuary in 1989, when it was known as The Shirehall. (Image: Archant)

The Blueberry

The Blueberry Music House in Cowgate. Picture: Denise Bradley (Image: Archant)

This local music venue is set to be turned into flats after it closed its doors in 2019.

The venue focused on local punk acts with bands such as Agent Orange, Raw Edge, Ska-Ta-Brain and the Emma Hall Band all playing there.

The Blueberry, Cowgate. (Image: Archant)

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