Project aims to turn city into food 'Silicon Valley'

Mike Rigby hopes people from across the world can look to Norwich as a place to find scientists

A project is hoping to turn Norwich into the "Silicon Valley" of food and science.

The Norwich Food Science Supercluster project will be discussed at a one-day conference held on Friday, at the Quadram Institute at the Norwich Research Park.

Mike Rigby from organisers Eastern Promise said it would raise the profile of Norwich and the East of England.

"I think it's important for Norfolk because the East of England has everything the UK needs to address the challenges of the 21st Century and food is key," he said.

He believes Norwich has a "unique collection of assets" that are not comparable to neighbouring Lincolnshire and hopes to put the county "squarely on the map".

Eastern Promise is focussing on an area it dubs the 'Norwich croissant' because of its crescent shape, bringing together the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association, Condimentum, the Food and Enterprise Park at Honningham and Fischer Farms.

Mr Rigby said he hoped it would strengthen Norwich's name, turning it into a "Silicon Valley" of food and mean people would look to the city when they needed a scientist.