The Forum — Attraction in Norwich

Reflection on My Visit to the Forum

Today, I had the opportunity to visit the Forum, and it truly stirred up some memories. I vividly recall witnessing the devastating fire on August 1, 1994, that destroyed the Norwich Central Library, which once stood in its place. The extent of the damage was shocking, especially given that it was located less than 100 meters from the then fire station, which is now Sir Isaac Newton Sixth Form School.

However, the silver lining of that tragic event is the impressive structure that has replaced it! The Forum is undoubtedly a more remarkable and comprehensive building compared to its predecessor.

I often find myself spending most of my time at the Norfolk Heritage Center on the second floor. This is where they maintain the index for births, marriages, and deaths, along with a comprehensive archive of local newspapers. It’s a treasure trove of information!

Additionally, I enjoy visiting the Coffee shop at Forum as a cozy spot to meet people for a chat and a cup of tea. Its car park is also conveniently located for anyone needing to be in the city center.

Overall, in comparison to its predecessor, and despite its great architectural design, I can confidently give the Forum a...

When ever I am in Norwich I visit the Forum as there is usually something on to see and this week was no exception! With the weather being so nice I sat and watched the street entertainers performing during a "Lunch Box" session; Flhip Flhop were brilliant! If it is wet I usually go into Fusion which is Europe's largest permanent digital gallery as there is always something interesting being shown there. Not forgetting the Tourist Information that is always manned by very helpful staff and the Jarrold shop which never fails to get money out of me due to having such unusual gifts for sale. The Millenium Library is also housed in the Forum which is always worth a browse and there are good food and drink outlets as well as toilets on site...

Quite an impressive building that houses the BBC East news studios, a lending library, a venue for hire, a small gift shop, large coffee shop and a Pizza Express restaurant. It's in stark contrast to the Saint Peter Mancroft church opposite. The ground floor occasionally hosts an exhibition but most of the time is underused in such a grand city centre building.

Outside is a spacious plaza, where the coffee shop spills out onto. The paving and steps is popular with skateboarders and young people meeting up with their friends, this area too is host to occasional events during the year but nothing permanent.

Overall though, I wish more was done to make use of...