‘CIrcus is a form of art for the people. I fundamentally believed that.” I’m spending a long weekend in Great Yarmouth, and standing in the ring of the Great Yarmouth boxing ring. Hippodrome circusThe energy that comes from an empty stage is palpable. Ringmaster Jack Jay, the fourth generation in a family of impresarios, is fresh from his annual scouting trip in search of international acts to tread the boards in Norfolk: “We have artists whose CV reads ‘Macau, Las Vegas, Great Yarmouth’,” he tells me. “That is the standard that we are aiming to bring in.”
The Hippodrome Circus is a treasure of the nation. It is one of the only two purpose built circuses remaining in Britain (the second is in Blackpool Tower where Jack’s father briefly ran in 1980s). The ornate, art nouveau-style building was founded in 1903 by George Gilbert who joined the circus at age 11. But the real spectacle is the sunken floor, restored in 1979 by Jays. The ring is converted into a swimming pool using original mechanisms. I’ve watched the show many times, and it has never lost its magic.
You will almost certainly visit a Jay run establishment during your holiday. Two magnificent Edwardian cinemas are located in Yarmouth, including one that is a IMAX. the Empire, Recently reopened as an entertainment venue for live music and comedy. The Windmill, which was originally known as the Palace of Light because of the electric bulbs that lit its facade, is now home to one of the most amazing crazy golf courses (I’m a bit of a fanatic), and is stuffed full of movie and theatre memorabilia.
This is where I would like to add a disclaimer. I was born and raised on this coast, and have been a Great Yarmouth fan since childhood. My first jobs in the caravan park that dot this coastline were all of my family members at one time.
I have always been inspired by the town, whether it was writing books on our maritime heritage or designing clothes. exhibitions about swimwear. The experience has helped me to understand the fragility of seasonal employment and the generational impact that declining industries have on communities, from fishing to shipbuilding and leisure to tourism.
Although there are signs of poverty, like in other coastal towns, there’s also a strong feeling of resilience. This is a town built on the twin pillars that are fishing and having fun.
This heritage should be celebrated Ice HouseOut There Arts, which organizes the town’s circus festival, transformed the structure into the National Centre for Outdoor Arts and Circus. This unique, thatched building overlooking the River Yare was built in the nineteenth century as a place to store ice for transporting fish. It has now been transformed into a performance space with a pop-up bar and cafe.
We strolled past the Winter Gardens on our walk at sunset along the seafront promenade. This magnificent glasshouse has enough facets in it to rival the facets of a diamond. This Victorian marvel, which has been closed since 2008, is set to reopen 2027. It will feature a cafe, an exhibition and events area, as well as horticultural displays that mimic the floral interiors from the original.
Dinner is at Courtyard Italian Restaurante In the historical Rows, an intricate maze of narrow passageways which once formed the medieval center of the city. Reservations are for the entire evening, so that we can enjoy our meal in the candlelit atmosphere. The chef serves generous portions of wild mushrooms linguine. We arrive at our family-run hotel in a sated state. Andover House. The restored Victorian building is situated on a leafy street and it is very peaceful, considering that it is just off the busy promenade called the Golden Mile.
We will be up early the next morning for a trip to Merrivale Model VillageSince the 1960s, Merrivale has been a local landmark. Merrivale is a place I always visit when I am in town. From the castle to rocket ship, it’s utterly captivating. The town is small and unhinged. The town is complete with a great penny arcade, an amazing tearoom, and nine-hole Crazy Golf.
This is due to the innovation and flair of the traveling show folk that settled in coastal towns such as Great Yarmouth at the turn of the 20th century. JoylandHorace Cole founded, an institution on the seafront since 1949. He married into a family of travelling performers. Inspire by his family history, Horace Cole created the Super Snails, and Tyrolean Tub Twist. These rides are still in operation, now run by the 4th generation of Coles. It is a colourful history of fairgrounds, with attractions ranging from Neptune’s Kingdom in the 1970s to Spook Express in the 1990s.
It’s refreshing when so much of the leisure industry has been corporatised. We visit the Golden Mile’s south end to see the Pleasure BeachSince the 1950s the family that runs the park has been involved in travelling fairs. The rides are a mix of traditional (dodgems) and modern (the Scenic Railway wooden Rollercoaster which opened in Yarmouth’s Dreamland in Margate in 1932).
We stop at for lunch after a ride on the Edwardian Carousel. Sara’s Tearooms The fortune-telling hut is nearby. Sara bakes all the cakes, which you can enjoy on the beach terrace while looking out at the sea. While I eat a delicious fish finger sandwich, we marvel at the huge sailing ship.
Herrings were the first fish finger. From the 11th century, the town’s fortunes were made by the “silver darlings” migrating down the coast, and the bloater – an ungutted, lightly smoked herring – became a Yarmouth speciality in the 1830s. In the 1830s, sending them as holiday gifts was as commonplace as sending postcards. Up to 5,000 boxes were sent across the country each day.
You can also find out more about the following: Time and Tide MuseumThe Victorian curing works gives visitors an idea of how this industry operated. It chronicles the history of the area, from the last Ice Age to its heyday as an incredibly popular seaside resort.
Great Yarmouth’s herring traditions continue to be alive today. White SwanWe head to for dinner. The seafood restaurant has a fishmonger attached and overlooks the River next to the medieval wall towers. The restaurant was opened by Paul Williams, a local fisher who owns his own smoking house and prepares bloaters and kippers in the original Yarmouth manner. The shiplap walls, strewn in netting with photos of fishing fleets and shiplap panels give the place a convivial beach hut feel. Highlights include oysters rockefeller and hake topped with sea-kissed Samphire. We promise to return for the fall bloater.
The Sunday morning starts off with a walk through the Venetian WaterwaysThe calmer northern end of the beachfront is where you’ll find. In the 1920s, the project was developed as a job scheme for unemployed workers. It was intended to replicate the canals, bridges, and other features of Venice on a smaller-scale. Recently, The Waterways was restored to be part of a seven acre park, with ornamental gardens. It includes a boating pond, which is home for swans and herons. Pedalos are also available for hire.
Lunch at the restaurant will round off your weekend. Pier Hotel In Gorleston you can enjoy Cromer crabs and sweet cured Herrings while enjoying the view. The coast is beautiful: wide sandy beaches, dunes and marram grass tufts. As I watched people paddle in the sea, I remembered ringmaster Jack saying: “It is like a pilgrimage.” Even if you go only once, Great Yarmouth is worth a holiday.
The trip was organized by visitgreat yarmouth.co.uk. Double rooms are available at Andover House Hotel from £99 B&B
