Slice + Dice in Norwich is one of the last vegan restaurants

But now only a handful of Norwich’s vegan eateries remain.

While some argue that veganism success was just a flash in the pan the owners of the failed restaurants instead blame the cost of living crisis.

The city’s veganism demise has been rapid.

Tofurei is the latest vegan restaurant to close in the city (Image: Newsquest)

Since March 2023 three prominent vegan restaurants - Erpingham House, kebab shop Doner Bei Tante Anne and The Tipsy Vegan – have shut.

Tofurei, which has been in Norwich Lanes for eight years, announced it was the latest plant-based eatery to shut.

In a Facebook post its owner, Jenny McCann, blamed the cost of living for its demise and said it was “always a battle to make ends meet" as everything has "shot up" in price.

Sam Whitehouse is the owner of Slice + Dice in St Benedicts Street (Image: Newsquest)

Similarly, when Erpinham House, once beloved by celebrities, closed its doors its owner Loui Blake blamed bills rising to five times the costs they once were.

Meanwhile, the Tipsy Vegan quietly disappeared from St Benedicts Street with a 'notice of possession of property' stuck to its window.

The restaurant opened in 2021 and serves a range of hot food and desserts (Image: Samantha Whitehouse)

SECRET VEGAN RESTAURANT

While these restaurants proclaimed their veganism loudly, the owner of Slice + Dice, one of the few vegan restaurants still standing, said that its success has partly been due to downplaying its plant-based offering.

Owner Samantha Whitehouse said: "It was a conscious choice on my part not to market us as a vegan restaurant - when we opened, there were a lot of other places in the city that vegans could go to that were catered specifically for them, so we focused on the board game angle.

"We don't hide that we are vegan, but I don't think it has hurt us that lots of people come through the door before they realise that our menu is entirely free of animal products."

Slice + Dice is cutting back its hours and menu during the summer (Image: Luke Witcomb)

However, like many other small businesses, the cost of living crisis has had a huge impact.

"It has been incredibly difficult for us during the summer as we are a niche board game restaurant and people want to spend time sitting in the sun and not inside.

"The rest of the year is fine, but the summer is awful."

Samantha added: "Even though we are turning over significantly more each year, it is only getting harder and harder.

"Vegan speciality ingredients - as much as they are still a lot cheaper than they used to be - are still more expensive to buy than meat and dairy products.

Lots of people don't know the food is vegan at Slice + Dice until they are handed a menu (Image: Samantha Whitehouse)

"I think it is now important to shout about the fact that we are vegan and still here."

From August 7, Slice + Dice will open from 12noon daily.