Patrons of a former Hellesdon club where snooker legend Jimmy 'The Whirlwind' White once played are determined folks will be potting balls again soon.

Broadland Snooker Centre, on the roundabout where Reepham Road meets Middletons Lane, closed when the first lockdown hit in March 2020.

Doors temporarily reopened but the pandemic took hold again and it has now apparently shut for good.

Norwich Evening News: Jimmy White plays at Broadland Snooker Centre in Norwich.Jimmy White plays at Broadland Snooker Centre in Norwich. (Image: ARCHANT NORFOLK PHOTOGRAPHIC © 2011)

The venue had been at the heart of the community for decades, and welcomed greats like Jimmy White and Cliff Thorburn, before the club's lease came to an end in May of last year.

Jill Terry, one of the people behind the campaign, said: "A lot of us used to belong to the snooker club in Hellesdon - it was a lovely little social event.

"Now that that's closed, there's nothing in Hellesdon. We've got Spixworth around us with a lovely social club, we've got Horsford and Drayton, but nothing in Hellesdon."

Clubbing together to bring a social hub back to their stomping ground, the neighbours hope that a new social space will be established and flourish.

"The trouble is that we only see people now if you bump into them in the street," Jill added.

"We're thinking of the wider community, because there must be other people in Hellesdon who would like a social club."

Norwich Evening News: Cliff Thorburn at Broadland Snooker Club. CREDIT: Wizz WiseCliff Thorburn at Broadland Snooker Club. CREDIT: Wizz Wise (Image: Wizz Wise)

Ian Keys, who was a regular at the snooker club, is also eager to get something up and running for people who have missed mingling since the pandemic struck: "For a little bit of a social, there's nothing really in Hellesdon now with the snooker club gone.

"It'd be very nice to have one, because we're not just talking about just for the people that used to go down to the snooker club. There's just nothing around.

"It'd be good to get a sort of consensus of what the people of Hellesdon would like - it'd be interesting to find out!

"For us, just to go in and have a social drink on a Friday night, that was quite nice. Getting together, we haven't really got that now."

Ian and Jill are now hoping to gather the thoughts of the community before an official campaign is launched.