For two months, the hospitality sector has had to adapt its businesses to abide by the 10pm curfew.

Norwich Evening News: Cemal Alby, owner of the Gem of Norwich restaurant in Thorpe Road. Picture: Lauren De Boise.Cemal Alby, owner of the Gem of Norwich restaurant in Thorpe Road. Picture: Lauren De Boise. (Image: Archant)

Bars, pubs and restaurants, which typically see their peak hours in the late evening, have had to find new ways to keep businesses afloat and bring customers through the doors all day.

Norwich has seen a rise in popularity of the bottomless brunch. The deal typically includes customers buying a meal and they receive an unlimited number of drinks within their booked time slot.

The city has seen a change in behaviour, with nightlife being cut short and a bottomless brunch can incorporate aspects of a night out such as socialising and drinking.

One restaurant which has benefitted from the addition of the boozy brunch is The Gem of Norwich in Thorpe Road.

Norwich Evening News: Bedfords Bar in Norwich held The Hangover Club on Sundays Picture: James RandleBedfords Bar in Norwich held The Hangover Club on Sundays Picture: James Randle (Image: Archant)

The Turkish restaurant, which opened its doors in November 2019, offers its Gem Bottomless seven days a week from 12pm to 4pm.

Owner Cemal Alby said: “It is definitely helping with business and our brunch is becoming more popular now. It is good for us because of the 10pm curfew.

“We are continuing the eat out to help out scheme in November to help the business. Customers can enjoy that on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.”

Another restaurant which is running bottomless brunch everyday of the week is Turtle Bay.

The Caribbean chain, which has a branch in Swan Lane, said the brunch had seen its type of trade change.

“It has definitely grown in popularity,” said general manager Matt Hall. “We are getting a lot more people coming in the daytime.

“The curfew has affected the way we trade but it hasn’t affected how busy we have been.”

For Bedfords Bar, a family-run business in the city, the bottomless brunch offered a new way to generate trade after seeing early success post lockdown.

It is now on hold due to a change in caterers but general manager Jonathan Carr said despite a drop in revenue the bar was still busy.

“It is still busy but there has been a 40pc drop in revenue,” he said. “Our peak hours used to be 9.30pm until 1am so it is a struggle having to shut at 9.30pm.”

Despite businesses adapting to the changing opening times, there have been demands by the Norwich Business Improvement District (BID) for a change to the hospitality curfew.

It said the curfew was “extremely damaging” to the sector, especially with the strains that the pandemic had placed on businesses.