Old pub sign returned to Sprowston Viking Community Centre

One neighbour rescued the old pub sign for Viking Community Centre, in Sprowston, and kept it hidden away in his garage since the 1990s. 

Now it's due to be hung up at the community centre as part of the council's commitment to preserve the site's history.

Work is ongoing at the Viking Community Centre (Image: Bill Couzens)

Chairman of Sprowston Town Council, Bill Couzens, said: "During the refurbishment Roger Starling, who lives nearby, came to us with the old pub sign.

"It was in his garage that he said he'd 'rescued' back in the day when he worked next door at Tyre Trax.

"We believe it was the sign which hung outside the building in the 90s when the pub was a freehouse.

"It's now safely at the council offices awaiting restoration or conservation, so that it can be hung inside the community centre when it's completed.

The old pub sign returned by a nearby local, Roger Starling, who worked at Tyre Trax next door (Image: Bill Couzens)

"We're very keen to try and preserve as much history as we can and bring it back to the community instead of it being lost.

"We also had a feeling there was a Viking mural on one of the walls, but we haven't found that yet."

Cllr Couzens added that despite originally wanting to open in November things had "slipped by a couple of weeks".

Chairman of Sprowston Town Council Bill Couzens said he's very keen to try and preserve as much history as we can (Image: Bill Couzens)

"We're now looking to complete by the end of November and to open early December," he said.

READ MORE: Corner of £1m revamp an 'accident waiting to happen' due to dodgy parking

"However the refurbishment is coming along very well.

READ MORE: Builders working on £1m project told to leave 'more space' at treacherous corner

"I visited the site last week and the roof is now back on, with solar panels being installed as well.

The Viking Community Centre is due to open in early December (Image: Bill Couzens)

"Most of the internal wall alterations are near completion and we have new windows installed.

"The floor in the new hall will need further insulation and finishing, while the chimneys have been inspected and repaired.

"It's all coming together nicely."

History of the Viking Centre

The Viking pub was built in 1956 before opening the following year. 

It closed in 2007, before a bid was lodged to turn the site into the Royal Bengal Indian restaurant in 2010.

Purchased by Sazu Miah, the restaurant was closed down in mid-2019.

Plans to convert the former pub into a house fell through in September 2009 and March 2010.

The Viking Pub closed in 2007, before a bid was lodged to turn the site into the Royal Bengal Indian restaurant in 2010 (Image: Archant)

Broadland District Council had to board up the site after it was targeted by vandals following the closure of the pub.

Sprowston Town Council purchased the site two years later in May 2021 before lodging plans in 2022 to turn it into a community centre.

Work on the revamp started in February this year and is now due to be opened in early October.