NEW IN NORWICH. THE HOP ROCKET

November 2025. Norwich.

10 minutes out from Norwich market along residential Unthank Road to my new GBG tick,

a genuine new pub from the Fat Cat stable rather than an old one you’ve walked past a hundred times and thought “Wonder when that’ll get in the Guide ?”.

Looks lovely from outside,

the interior of this former bookshop/wine bar is cosy without being “micro”.

Great welcome from the young barmaid, and clearly a lot of regular trade, most of it for that Tom Cat I fell for the other month.

A cool, chewy 3.5, my mind only afterwards wandering to the £28.50 a pint Imperial Stout.

Yes, you may recommend a third, Hop Rocket. I resisted.

“I’m off the Tom Cat at the moment” says Bloke at Bar, a withdrawal that seemingly lasts all of 19 minutes before the barrel is changed. I reckon if I’d had the fresh barrel it might have edged a 4.

A buzzy atmosphere, and a doggedly ’60s soundtrack running from The Seekers to Bobby Vee to Vanity Fair (who?).

A cracker. Just don’t trip over the dogs.

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Published by retiredmartin

Retired NHS, doing long walks around UK and the world to record the great bits. Focused on Good Beer Guide pubs and live music.

8 thoughts on “NEW IN NORWICH. THE HOP ROCKET”

    1. Sinitta was undoubtedly one of the great songwriters of the late 20th century but that wasn’t one of hers !

      I’m sure you’re finding that one of the joys of starting a blog is the feedback, and I’m always pleased when people who read my blog spot things, like the Christmas decorations outsourcing ! Well done Lana !

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  2. I walked “along residential Unthank Road to” the William and Florence last year and the Adnams was drinking well.
    A tree, unlike a dog or a pub, is just for Christmas but I cannot believe a place who cannot be bothered to plaster the walls.

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  3. “10 minutes out from Norwich market along residential Unthank Road to my new GBG tick,”

    I thought you were having me on but apparently Unthank Road is a thing. There’s more than one in the UK, as well as a few in the US!

    Also, why do they call it the Unthank Arms when it’s on Newmarket Street, not to be confused with the nearby Newmarket Road!
    (sheesh)

    “the interior of this former bookshop/wine bar is cosy without being “micro”.””

    My wife and I went downtown Friday night for the annual ‘Christmas truck parade’. They have a good 40 to 50 vehicles all decked out in Christmas lights and inflatable thingies like Rudolph, the Minions and whatnot. We passed the brewpub in town on our way down, as we parked a 5 minute walk out in order to make a good getaway at the end. We stopped for a pint each at the brewpub and it’s actually better than it used to be. Who knew?

    “A cool, chewy 3.5, my mind only afterwards wandering to the £28.50 a pint Imperial Stout.”

    (looks down)
    Holy Toledo!
    (mind you, I’d be tempted to have 1/3, just for the hell of it and since it’s Christmas)

    “Yes, you may recommend a third, Hop Rocket. I resisted.”

    Tsk, tsk.

    “and a doggedly ’60s soundtrack running from The Seekers to Bobby Vee to Vanity Fair (who?).”

    Not to be confused with Vanity Fair, the women’s lingerie company?
    (goes for a lie down)

    “A cracker. Just don’t trip over the dogs.”

    See, this is why people should perfect the art of the silly walk (Monty Python). All that high stepping would avoid tripping over dogs and the like.

    Cheers

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  4. I have the Vanity Fare LP. It got a U.S. release on the (unclaimed at that time in the U.S.) ‘Page 1’ label. It also has their “Early In The Morning” song. It was $1.50 in a cut-out rack.

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