Row erupts over plans to convert listed pub in UK into mosque

The NMC has bought the pub with a 10% deposit and is now raising a further £800,000 (Photo credit: SWNS)LONDON: Anger has flared over plans to turn a Grade II-listed pub in Norwich into a mosque.The Norwich Muslim Centre (NMC) has lodged plans with City Hall to turn the Gatehouse on Dereham Road into a place of worship with two separate prayer halls for men and women. It will offer a madrassa, Hifz madrassa (where the focus is on memorising the entire holy Quran) and Islamic classes. The proposed design includes Islamic-style screens and Arabic lettering.The NMC has bought the pub with a 10% deposit and is now raising a further £800,000.Originally built in 1934, the pub closed in 2023 following the death of its owner. Attempts by a community initiative to purchase it were unsuccessful.NMC