Looking Back on Norwich Cocktail Week 2026
Norwich Cocktail Week 2026 Delivers Record Engagement and Economic Impact
Norwich Cocktail Week 2026 brought together venues, visitors and partners for ten days of celebration across the city from 25 September to 4 October. With record participation, growing app engagement and significant economic benefits for local businesses, the festival further strengthened Norwich’s reputation as a thriving food and drink destination.
Highlights:
- 48 participating venues (up from 35 in 2025)
- 8 themed trails (up from 5 in 2025)
- 4,157 QR code scans (more than double the number of 2025)
- Estimated £58,000 revenue generated in venues
Norwich Cocktail Week 2026 brought the city’s hospitality scene together, giving visitors the chance to discover new venues, try creative cocktails and enjoy everything Norwich has to offer.
The event also provided a welcome boost for participating businesses, generating an estimated £58,000 in venue revenue and encouraging visitors to explore more of the city. More than half of those surveyed visited six or more venues during the week, while 91% spent money beyond their Cocktail Week purchases, benefiting the wider city centre.
Feedback from participating venues was particularly encouraging, with businesses rating their experience 4.78 out of 5. From first-time participants showcasing new cocktail menus to established venues welcoming new customers, the event offered an opportunity to reach new audiences and be part of a shared city-wide celebration. All surveyed venues said they would like to take part again in 2027.
“All participants seemed really pleased with the experience and cocktails, brought lots of business to our venue!”
Visitors enjoyed the experience too, with the creativity of the cocktails, the chance to discover new places and the social atmosphere all featuring in positive feedback. The event also helped strengthen Norwich’s reputation as a food and drink destination, with 67% of visitors saying it had given them a more positive perception of the city.
The campaign reached audiences across the region through a combination of PR, radio, digital advertising and social media. Coverage included the Eastern Daily Press, Muddy Stilettos, BBC Radio Norfolk and Future Radio, while the digital advertising campaign achieved more than 421,000 impressions.
The Norwich Food & Drink Weeks App also continued to grow, with Cocktail Week generating more than 2,400 downloads and contributing to an increase in registered users.