New Website Coming Soon

Norwich is soon to have its first backpackers hostel, a whole new tourism market for the city and the next venture for father and son, Alister and Jason Borthwick.

The team behind the award winning, eco-friendly tourism facilities at Deepdale Farm on the north Norfolk coast, are in the process of developing a hostel in the centre of Norwich, having purchased the derelict Ferry Boat Inn on King St.

“The Ferry Boat will make an excellent location for our second hostel.  King Street is an easy walk to the main attractions of the City, train and bus station.  The river access means we can offer canoe hire and with national cycle route no1 passing the front door we can also offer cycle hire.  We are really excited about the opportunities this site offers.” said Alister Borthwick.

The Ferry Boat Inn has been closed for over 6 years.  The only way it could compete with the chain pubs was as a live music venue, but after much of the river frontage was developed into flats, live music was no longer welcome and the pub was forced to close.

“Our primary use for the site will be backpackers accommodation, mainly private ensuite rooms and family rooms, with a few dorms, which will all be accommodated in a new eco-friendly building on the site.  We plan to run the hostel, much as we have done at Deepdale, and the canoe hire, cycle hire and café may be leased to tenants depending on who approaches us.” said Jason Borthwick.

“We know groups like CAMRA (Campaign for Real Ale) are keen to see the pub reopen.  We plan for there to be a micropub on the site in the original Ferry Boat Pub building.  Maybe CAMRA know of interested parties and can put them in touch with us.  In the meantime we’ll be developing plans for the accommodation, canoe hire, cycle hire and café, looking for tenants for the whole or parts of the site and the possibility of a pub will develop as and when interested tenants approach us.”

Norwich Backpackers Hostel will link up with the well established Deepdale Backpackers & Camping on the north Norfolk coast and with any other backpackers style accommodation that exists in the county or region, including hostels and campsites.  The new hostel will open up Norfolk and Norwich to a market that is virtually untapped currently.  Most other historic cities, such as York and Bath, support two or more hostels.  Norwich’s YHA closed over 7 years ago and no other backpacker hostel accommodation is available, yet the city and the surrounding area fit perfectly with the backpacker market.

Norwich Backpackers Hostel plans to open its doors to customers in 2014. In the meantime watch Facebook & Twitter for the latest information.