From steakhouses and Nando's to bookshops and a Currys PCWorld, people of Dereham have had their say on what they would like their town's former Prezzo building to become.

The Grade II Listed building on Market Place, Dereham, which housed the Italian chain until February 2021 when the business went into administration, is now up for sale or rent for £495,000 or £30,000 per year.

Although the restaurant chain was still trading in between lockdowns, its Dereham branch had not been open since the pandemic began in March 2020.

Now the building is being sold with Roche Chartered Surveyors based in Norwich, with interest coming from restaurants and people wanting to convert the building into offices.

Fakenham & Wells Times: The Grade II Listed building on Market Place, Dereham, which housed Prezzo until February 2021 when the business went into administration, is now up for sale or rentThe Grade II Listed building on Market Place, Dereham, which housed Prezzo until February 2021 when the business went into administration, is now up for sale or rent (Image: Roche Chartered Surveyors)

In wake of the listing, people in the town have come out in force to put forward what they would like to see the building become.

Dozens of people spoke of how they wanted to see the building become "anything but" a charity shop or hairdressers due to the amount already in the town.

More than a dozen, including Daphne Gore, Frances Hudson, and Caroline Rawlings said they would like to see a book shop or stationers in the Market Place, with Sue Barnes who lives in the town suggesting a WHSmith.

Many others said they would like to see a restaurant be kept in the building with half a dozen suggesting a steakhouse or a Wagamama's. The overriding restaurant in the comments section was people such as Jaquiline Julianne Rose requesting a Nandos.

Other suggestions included an H&M, Currys PC World, Pizza Express, Primark, KFC, Burger King, Home Bargains, or a waffle house.

One commenter, Matt Casson, said: "Book store, men's clothing store, Sports Direct, JD, Nike Store. Anything but the usual but doesn't jeopardise the small businesses trying to get back on their feet in town."

Fakenham & Wells Times: The former Prezzo in Dereham is for saleThe former Prezzo in Dereham is for sale (Image: Abigail Nicholson)

While Lawrence Wolfe from Norwich, had a rather long list of demands, he said: "A book shop with a wide range of books, a good section of affordable philosophy and critical theory books, lots of dry German and Russian literature, and a café which sells almond croissants like the ones in Pret, scotch pies, and coffee from Strangers in Norwich.

"Jazz nights twice a week, and a visiting petting zoo once a month."