Thorpe St Andrew is two miles to the east of Norwich and boasts excellent facilities for both residents and tourists. There is a full range of shops and businesses that vary in size from superstores such as Sainsbury’s to many small businesses that offer personal services such as butchers, barbers, hairdressers etc.

For visitors a wide choice of accommodation is available from bed and breakfast establishments to plush hotels. The Oaklands Hotel (www.oaklands-hotel.co.uk), The Old Rectory Hotel (www.oldrectorynorwich.com)and The Town House are all located in Yarmouth Road; each has large, attractive gardens and all offer a wide range of food and accommodation.
Visitors by boat are well catered for, there are two free 24 hour moorings located in the town on the River Yare. One is known as Commissioners Cut, Whitlingham Lane – the other is the picturesque River Green by the side of Yarmouth Road, which is regarded by many as the heart of Thorpe St Andrew.

The nearest camping/caravan sites are nearby at Lakenham (Camping and Caravan Club) and Norfolk Showground (Caravan Club). Norwich Camping and Leisure of South Hill Road have a two acre site in South Hill Road offering a vast range of tents, camping equipment, caravan awnings and accessories, barbecues and garden furniture. Their website can be visited at www.norwich-camping.co.uk.
There are plenty of restaurants and takeaways in Thorpe St Andrew. The Rushcutters and The Rivergarden have riverside gardens and offer good food and real ales. The Buck opposite River Green is one of the oldest buildings in Thorpe St Andrew; it’s always busy and popular with both locals and visitors.

Other pubs with busy restaurants include The Millhouse on the Ring Road, The Cottage off Thunder Lane and Spinney Road and The Griffin on Yarmouth Road. The other two public houses in Thorpe St. Andrew are traditional locals - The Gordon in Gordon Avenue and the Woodside at the top of Thunder Lane.

There are two Chinese takeaways (Thunder Lane and Beechwood Drive) and a Chinese restaurant/takeaway on Yarmouth Road. Alternatively there is an Indian takeaway on St Williams Way. The two fish and chips (Plumstead Road and Yarmouth Road) offer more traditional fare. Thailand on the Ring Road is a long established restaurant specialising in Thai cuisine.

City Boats of Griffin Lane (www.cityboats.co.uk) run daily river trips to Norwich and the broads; day boats and cruisers can be hired by the hour or longer here too.

Two health clubs are to be found in Thorpe St Andrew – the long established Oasis Health and Leisure Club in Pound Lane (www.oasislc.co.uk)and the more recently established Bannatynes on the St Andrews Business Park.
The public library on Williams Loke, St Williams Way provides a wide range of books, newspapers and magazines and free Internet access is available.

The Town Council have two recreation grounds. At Laundry Lane you can play bowls, tennis or football. It is also home to Thorpe Fliers – a group of enthusiastic kite fliers who meet most Sunday mornings to fly their amazing creations. There is a range of play equipment suitable for children of all ages.

The Dussindale Amenity area in Pound Lane is the place to enjoy a game of cricket. Thorpe Cricket Club play there most weekends in the summer. Again there is an excellent range of play equipment for older children as well as an under fives play area.
For a picnic or to watch the world go by River Green on Yarmouth Road can’t be beaten. If you feel energetic a circular walk can be enjoyed beside the river starting nearby from the marshes at Whitlingham Lane.

The Eastern Daily Press featured an article on Thorpe St Andrew in January 2008. Please click HERE to view the article as a PDF document. (The file is approx 4Mb in size).