Residents Raise Concerns After Muslim Group Buys Popular Old Pub and Reveals Plans for the Building

A pub that served local people for generations has been bought by a Muslim organisation, and plans to turn it into a mosque for more than 200 worshippers have caused a heated debate.

The Grade II-listed Gatehouse pub has stood at the western entrance to Norwich, Norfolk, since the 1930s. The red-brick building, designed in a mixture of Arts and Crafts and Tudor styles, closed in 2023 after the death of its long-serving landlord.

The building was later bought by a local Muslim association, which now wants to turn it into a mosque and community centre. However, the plans have raised concerns among some residents and pub campaigners. Another mosque is already located less than half a mile away on the same road.

The proposal includes a large copper-coloured extension at the back of the former pub. It would feature Islamic-style screens and Arabic writing. Computer images also show glass-fronted prayer and function rooms looking over gardens, terraces and the nearby River Wensum.

Some neighbours fear the mosque could bring more traffic and parked cars into the surrounding residential streets. Pub campaigners are also worried that an important part of Britain’s traditional pub history could be lost.

Richard Dixon, a member of the Norwich and District branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, said Norwich had already lost many pubs through demolition or redevelopment. He said some parts of the city now have very few pubs or none at all.

He argued that the planned changes to the outside of the Gatehouse would affect the appearance and character of the listed building. Although the application says some original features would be kept, he said the inside would no longer look like a traditional pub with a bar, hand pumps and other familiar features.

Mr Dixon also claimed that not enough had been done to show that the Gatehouse could no longer survive as a pub. He said the building had once been a popular place where local people gathered to drink, listen to music, play pub games and spend time together. He believes it should remain a public house.

Norwich Muslim Centre submitted the application to turn the former pub into a place of worship and community centre. Norwich City Council’s planning website currently shows nine objections and one public comment supporting the plans.

One person who objected said they were horrified that the listed pub could become a mosque. They argued that Norwich had already lost too many pubs and claimed there was no need for another mosque in the area.

Another objector warned that the change could lead to more vehicles being parked on nearby roads, causing problems for people living there.

However, supporters say the project would save the historic building from remaining empty and give it a new purpose. They believe it could become a welcoming community centre that brings people from different backgrounds together.

One supporter said they had already attended a community event at the building and found it enjoyable. They also praised the organisation for showing respect for the Gatehouse’s architecture and said permission should be granted as long as the building’s history was protected.

A statement included with the application said the group’s aim was to create a community hub that would provide a place for worship, help younger Muslims build a strong religious identity, encourage understanding between different faiths and challenge false ideas about Muslims.

Sirajul Islam, a trustee of the Norwich Muslim Community Association, said a transport consultant had prepared a detailed plan to manage traffic. He said nearby parking spaces had been identified and an agreement had been made with a local business to provide another 10 to 12 spaces.

Mr Islam said the new mosque and the existing mosque nearby would work together to accommodate worshippers across both locations. He also promised that the historic character of the listed building would be protected. According to him, the only major physical change would be the construction of a multi-purpose hall at the rear.

Before the Gatehouse closed, customers could sit in its oak-panelled bars beside a log fire. During the summer, they could use its garden, which slopes towards the River Wensum.

After the pub closed, a community campaign tried to buy it and turn it into Norwich’s first community-owned pub, but the attempt was unsuccessful.

The Gatehouse was built for Norwich brewers Morgans in 1934, replacing a 19th-century pub that had previously stood on the site. It was given Grade II-listed protection in 2015.

Norwich City Council has not yet made a final decision on the application.