Broadland District Council Chair, Caroline Karimi-Ghovanlou, presented the Council’s Enhancement Award to Chairman of Sprowston Town Council Bill Couzens, for the Viking Centre community building in Sprowston.
The award follows the building’s recent extensive refurbishment and extension, marking a new chapter for this historic site. Originally built in 1956 as the Viking Pub, the building has been transformed into a modern, multi-purpose community hub. The renovation was led by the town council, who invested almost £2 million of Community Infrastructure Levey into the project.
Cllr Karimi-Ghovanlou praised the project, stating, “I would like to congratulate everyone who played a part in transforming and preserving this landmark building, sitting at the heart of the community. The town council has created an incredible, vibrant space, perfect for local events and activities, that can be enjoyed by the whole community for many years to come.”
Sprowston Town Council acquired the site in 2021 with the vision of converting and extending the building to better serve the local community. The refurbishment included the addition of a large single-storey extension, creating 1,991 square feet of new floor space.
The ground floor now features a large multi-purpose community hall and two self-contained function rooms, each equipped with storage, toilets, and tea-making facilities. A café bar, Longboats and Lattes, has been created in the centre of the building, complete with its own toilet facilities and a stock room in the cellar. The first floor has been converted into three small office units.
The architect for the project was the Paul Robinson Partnership and the contractor Draper & Nicols. The project managers and planning agent were Bidwells.
For more information about the Viking Community Building and upcoming events, visit the Sprowston Town Council’s website.
The Emmanuel Centre in Aylsham, originally designed by George Skipper for the Brethren Church and now altered and refurbished for modern worship and accessibility, was given a High Commendation Award. The architects were Ensemble, the contractors were CW Harmer and Sons with structural advice from The Morton Partnership.
