Overview
- Director Janie Thompson publicly backed customers who arrive by helicopter, saying the business welcomes all and arguing the visits are not routine.
- Seven helicopters landed for brunch on October 11, with at least one further landing reported the following weekend, and staff say pilots typically phone ahead.
- Residents report noise, downdraft scattering debris, exhaust smell, and distress to children and dogs, with some diners saying their meals were affected.
- Thornham Parish Council plans to liaise with the field’s owner, Michael ‘Spider’ Goddard, to review how often landings occur and what safety measures are in place.
- The CAA says pilots need the landowner’s permission and must ensure safe operations, noting frequent use can become a planning issue, while West Norfolk Council reports no noise complaints filed so far.