Memory
The real irony is that I hated the place when I first arrived in Norfolk in the 80s, but decades later I’m still here. I’ve left and come back several times so the draw of Norfolk has clearly been strong. My family moved to Norwich from Glasgow, and I really didn’t want to be uprooted from my teenage friends. I resented moving to Norwich but the city soon melted my heart. Norwich is sunnier, drier, and warmer than Glasgow. Memories of my first summer in the city are blessed by games of pitch and putt at Eaton Park and family visits to sun-dappled pub gardens.

Landmark
For me it must be Norwich Castle. It dominates our beautiful city centre and holds many special memories for me. The castle was always a favourite when my children were younger, and you can’t beat the castle museum. I also proposed to my wife on the battlements of Norwich Castle. Every time I see the castle it’s a reminder of very happy memories and it really defines Norwich as a city.

Carrow Road would be another important landmark. As an adopted fan of the Canaries, Carrow Road has been the crucible of some truly great (and not so great) memories for me and my eldest son. But it is always a thrill to see the stadium as you pull into the railway station.

Town/Village/City
I’m not a country-dweller, I prefer the city as you’ve got all the amenities you’d want close by. I grew up in the Golden Triangle so really appreciated its independent local shops. Even though I don’t live in that part of the city now it’s where I still head for great local businesses like Kofra, Dozen bakery, the hairdressers Zany, and the many good pubs.

Place to eat
So many options to choose from. Great chip shops like Mary Jane’s and No 1 up at Cromer, great pizzas from places like Brick and The Greengrocers in Norwich. For a special occasion, Benedicts is amazing. Having lost my sense of taste and smell to Covid late last year I’d quite like it back so that I can sample some of that great food again and really enjoy it properly.

Pub
One of the best community pubs I know was my old local, the Trafford Arms on the junction of Trafford Road and Grove Road. It’s a great community pub and I’ve fond memories of Sunday night pub quizzes with my old neighbour, Russell. We are just back from a night at The Pigs in Edgefield and that’s a fantastic place to eat and to enjoy a spa escape. It’s a great place to treat yourself and unwind.

Attraction
When I first moved to Norwich I went to Earlham High School and UEA was right on the doorstep. School cross-country runs around the campus weren’t enjoyable as such but university campus is a beautiful green space. Norwich is lucky to have such an open, accessible university campus. I loved going to the Sainsbury Centre at UEA back when we first moved to Norwich, enjoyed taking my kids there, and I still love visiting its treasures. I live in Cringleford now, so UEA is still a regular haunt whether that’s going for a walk or a run, grabbing a coffee, using the Sportspark, or going to gigs or public lectures.

Beach
Cromer is a firm favourite with us all-year-round. We’ve recently started exploring the beaches over at East and West Runton for fossils and now that we have a better idea of what we’re looking for on the Deep History Coast and we’ve got some nice finds. Still not found a woolly mammoth though! Winterton is another firm favourite, and you can’t beat the beach at Great Yarmouth.

Shop
Shopping in person hasn’t been easy over the past couple of years but I’m going for Thorns. It’s an Aladdin’s cave of DIY, gardening, and houseware treasures. It’s a bit like the Tardis, it’s bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside, and the staff are knowledgeable. An honourable mention too for Jarrold over the road. The perfect place to get a delicious cheese scone and a coffee.

Export
It’s Norfolk’s science. Specifically, where I work, the Quadram Institute on the Norwich Research Park. The scientists and clinicians work at the frontier of science exploring how we can promote good health and prevent harm by understanding how the micro-organisms in our gut interact with each other and with the food we eat. It’s an exciting area of science. The Quadram Institute is an amazing building and every time I step inside I feel lucky to work there.