40 years of history… part 2

Following on from part 1 of our 40 years, here is the 90’s onwards & 00’s…

The beef crisis in 1992 meant that ostrich, alligator, kangaroo & occasionally locusts became prominent on the menu! Norfolk Life – November 1993 reviewed The Kings Head and delighted in the smoked platter… a platter constructed of smoked ostrich, alligator, green scallops, marlin, lip mussels & quails eggs – just a little bit different to todays delicacies! 

The Norwich Southern Bypass (A47) was finally finished in 1992, and this couldn’t come soon enough. The construction almost caused the demise of The Kings Head when 2 of the main roads into the village closed for the duration of the works. This resulted in massively reduced footfall to the pub but luckily The Wimmer family toughed it out until the roads reopened.

The popularity of the squash courts – the original selling point of this country pub to the Wimmer family – began to dwindle and by the late 90’s they were a shadow of their former glory. They still exist now but are not utilised as squash courts, one houses our office, the others are used for storage (a treasure trove of the Kings Head history) – watch this space though, with future plans in place to transform these.

Throughout the early 2000’s the pub transitioned from serving quick, simple yet tasty dishes to increasing the number of finer dining options – as it became one of the original pioneers of gastropub dining. Back in 93 Norfolk Life stated “it was immediately apparent that this is a far more gastronomically ambitious establishment than one would expect” and the Kings Head has continued this flair.  Now offering delicious seasonal food sourced as locally as possible, in a friendly and welcoming setting.

The smoking ban came into force on 1^st July 2007, bringing with it a huge breath of  fresh air and making the pub more family friendly. The Bowling Club that used the green opposite was disbanded and subsequently the houses that you’ll be more familiar with were built.

In 2014 the incredibly talented kitchen team were awarded two AA rosettes for their culinary excellence, a real achievement and reward for their hard work. This quality has been consistently recognised by The AA every year since, with 9 AA rosette plates now adorning the fireplace.

You can read the next part of our story here, and check out this article from 1993 and a menu from 2002 for an interesting and historic read… 

We’d love to hear about the memories you have from the years gone by – these can be shared with us on our Facebook page or via email hello@kingsheadbawburgh.co.uk.