Cheers! NR3 landlords take on second city pub

Regular punters around the city may recognise James Bartram, Jessie Dodd and Tim Dodd as the owners of the Rosebery in Rosebery Road.

And now the trio have taken on the Malborough Arms in Spencer Street following a £10,000 investment - and the watering hole will throw open its doors to the public today.

"It's an old-fashioned boozer, a pubby pub," Jessie said.

The owners of the Rosebery (L-R) Jessie Dodd, Tim Dodd and James Bartram, who have taken over the Marlborough Arms (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

A "proper pub" dating back to 1879, the Marlborough will host pub quizzes and live music, and show BT Sport coverage.

Jessie said: "We had been looking for another project and for the right place."

James continued: "We caught wind of its sale. It's a beautiful pub - much like the Rosebery - and it's really close by.

"It's a great boozer and felt like the right thing to do."

The trio took over their first pub under Covid restrictions in the summer of 2020, which is also home to Blue's NR3 kitchen.

The trio first took over the Rosebery in August 2020 (Image: Archant)

They said that celebrating the opening of their new children and dog-friendly venue will make up for their pandemic-riddled opening experience.

Once up and running, James, Jessie and Tim hope to open an in-house kitchen with a small seasonal menu.

Jessie said: "It's all baby steps. We just can't wait to fling the doors open and get the regulars back, as well as new customers as well.

The Rosebery, which re-opened with James, Jessie and Tim at the helm in 2020 (Image: Archant)

"This pub was once a community pub with great music and good food with a fantastic vibe.

"We want to bring that back, but put our own touch on it as well.

"NR3 is the best area of Norwich for pubs."

A selection of local brews and firm pub favourites are on offer at the bar at the Marlborough Arms (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

Thanks to a hands-on DIY approach, the team spent around £4,000 on the traditional yet modern revamp, with Tim joking that their biggest expense has been time.

At their soft opening on Tuesday the pub was packed out with Rosebery regulars, friends and family.

Jessie said: "We're so proud of the blood, sweat and tears we've put into both the pubs.

"It's been a rollercoaster and feels like it's been a really long process, but it's been worth the wait."

(L-R) James Bartram, Tim Dodd and Jessie Dodd have taken over as the new owners of the Marlborough Arms after their success at the Rosebery (Image: Ella Wilkinson)

Fancy a city-brewed pint?

A proud champion of local businesses in the Fine City, the landlords at the Marlborough Arms highlighted how fortunate Norwich is to have a plethora of breweries right on the doorstep.

Here's a handful of some of Norwich's much-loved breweries.

• Mr Winter's, Keelan Close
  With IPAs, golden ales and stouts in its range, Mr Winter's prides itself on having a one-of-a-kind beer for every palate. Mrs Winter's also has a selection of fruity and dry gins.
• St Andrews Brewhouse, St Andrew Street
  St Andrews has its very own micro-brewery churning out popular beers such as Wensum bitter and Cork Cutters IPA
• Chalk Hill Brewery, Rosary Road
  Situated at the back of the Coach and Horses in Thorpe Road, Chalk Hill is Norwich's oldest independent brewery, churning out real ales since 1993. Free tours of the custom-built 15-barrel plant - which brews a selection of permanent and seasonal real ales - are available on request.