A landlord has teamed up with his stepfather to take over his mother’s favorite Norwich pub in her memory.
Gibraltar Gardens in Heigham Street was the favorite haunt of the late mother of publican Tony Dibbens when visiting the city.
And after hearing that previous tenants were leaving, he seized the opportunity to seize it with plans to turn it into a family-friendly, food-focused pub with something for everyone.
Mr Dibbens, who has 25 years’ experience in the hospitality industry, said: “Gibraltar Gardens has always been her favorite place in Norwich when she visited me from her home in Essex.”
“It’s a beautiful place with so much potential and it’s a great destination pub. We saw it coming and thought, why not?
“It’s still early days, but we have lots of exciting plans and hope to turn things around and restore it to the reputation we remember and the reputation it once had.”
Following a kitchen refurbishment, Gibraltar Gardens will offer carvery on Sundays as well as a main menu served seven days a week with a range of freshly prepared dishes.
Bar snacks are also available, including sausage rolls and pastries produced by local baker Little Pie Patisserie.
Gibraltar Gardens has a large garden which overlooks the River Wensum (Picture: NewsQuest)
And to celebrate the opening and help those battling the cost of living, drink prices have been reduced with pints of lager under £5 and spirits at double £5 among the offers.
As well as focusing on food, Mr Dibbens wants to make the pub a destination for families with events all year round.
He already has plans in place for an Easter Sunday, including a bouncy castle and a pony ride.
The pub will continue to work with Norwich Paddleboard Hire, which offers board hire and lessons on the Wensum River.
Mr Dibbens added: ‘We really care about building good relationships with our neighbours, so we hope to work with them to make our garden events a success.’
Free reception space is also on offer and the pub has already been inundated with bookings.
By next year, a redesign of its four guest rooms should be completed with the rooms that will be offered as Airbnb accommodation.
Gibraltar Gardens is open seven days a week from midday until late.
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