What is the first restaurant to agree to new Norwich foodhall pitch?

Work began three weeks ago to ready the former Jamie's Italian site and transform it in to food hall Yalm so it can welcome an array of kitchens and diners alike.

Last week a sneak peak of works under way showed what has been done to ready the venue ahead of its November opening.

Dan Searle at Yalm, a new food hall which is under way at the Royal Arcade in Norwich (Image: Archant 2022)

The site will house four bars and seven kitchens as well as a hireable private dining space.

With a focus on keeping Yalm's kitchens as local as possible, Eric's Pizza - which neighbours Eric's Fish and Chips in Thornham - is the first kitchen announced to feature.

Well known in Thornham, Holt and St Ives, chef Eric Snaith will bring Eric's Pizza to the people of Norwich.

Chef Eric Snaith (Image: Tichwell Manor)

He opened Eric’s Pizza in the summer of 2020 and specialises in authentic hand-stretched Neapolitan pizza.

Yalm operations manager Dan Searle said: "Eric’s is a Norfolk treasure so I am particularly pleased that we are able to bring this much-loved piece of North Norfolk to the city centre.

"Our eventual line-up of kitchens in Yalm will offer the people of Norwich an unrivalled choice in dining experiences.

"I’ll be able to announce some of the other kitchens very soon, so watch this space."

Eric Snaith, owner of Eric's Fish and Chips and Eric's Pizza (Image: Neil Didsbury)

Eric added: "Being a resident kitchen in Yalm is going to be fantastic for our business.

"It’s very exciting to be a core part of the regeneration of the building and what will be a new proposition to the diners of Norwich.

"We are looking forward to getting started in what promises to be a vibrant place to eat and drink."

Simon Ashdown, director of LPC1 - the arcade's management company - said: "We are very pleased with the progress made in filling the units in the Royal Arcade and this announcement signals the next phase of its development.

"Yalm promises to offer something unique to the city.

"Unsurprisingly there has been a huge amount of interest in the refurbishment of Yalm and it’s sure to attract more people to the Royal Arcade and the city centre - a positive for Norwich."