A new bakery in Norwich has lodged a bid to serve cocktails and wine as it looks to launch evening meals.

Norwich Evening News: Two Magpies in Norwich Picture: TWO MAGPIESTwo Magpies in Norwich Picture: TWO MAGPIES (Image: Two Magpies)

Steve Magnall and Rebecca Bishop opened the Two Magpies Bakery on Timberhill earlier this month, in the former home of the Timberhill Bakery.

While it is the couple's fourth branch - they have others in Southwold, Aldeburgh and Darsham in Suffolk - it is their first in Norfolk.

The pair have now lodged a bid for a premises licence with Norwich City Council to serve alcohol, including cocktails and wine with the evening meals they also plan to launch.

"We do alcohol at our other stores anyway and at two of our stores we do pizzas on a Saturday night," he said.

Norwich Evening News: Two Magpies bakery in Norwich Picture: TWO MAGPIESTwo Magpies bakery in Norwich Picture: TWO MAGPIES (Image: Two Magpies)

"We are looking at some point at Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening food, which might be sharing platters, mezzes or a mixture of things. Obviously it's better to be able to do evening food with a drink.

"We do also have people who during the day want to come in and have a Bloody Mary or a cocktail with their food."

He said the bakery's first two weeks in business had been a success, and said they'd had a positive welcome from customers.

"It's a great area, a nice busy street and a good thoroughfare all the way from John Lewis to the bottom," he said. "There's a really nice group of independent businesses and there's a buzz.

"It's our first foray into Norwich and it's a lovely city."

Two Magpies was founded by home baker Ms Bishop, who opened her first store in Southwold.

When they opened their Norwich store, Mr Magnall said they hoped to "become a destination in the city for great baked goods and fantastic lunches".

Traders working in Timberhill last year said the area was often forgotten and overlooked for the city's busier shopping streets.

But earlier this year many said a clutch of new independent businesses opening, and the reopening of Primark at the bottom of the road, had encouraged more people to visit the area.