Filigree's favourite summer spots
As the warmer months draw to a close, our Digital Marketing Assistant, Charlotte has been compiling some of Filigree’s dreamiest summer spots as part of a creative content project for her apprenticeship course. We’re blessed to be based in the beautiful county of Norfolk and some of the places we visit are just too good to be true.
Let’s kick off our late summer collection of our favourite, picture-perfect spots with our furry team member, Edie.
Edie’s edition: Wright’s, a much-loved Norwich cafe
Edie’s may not be the most insightful member of the Filigree team - or the tallest, but her enthusiasm for coming to work is unmatched. Partly because she’s smothered with love all day, and because her favourite summer spot is just round the corner from the office.
Wright’s, with its amazing food and warm atmosphere, is quickly becoming a favourite out-of-office food spot for team lunches or a networking coffee with our Norwich peers. It's also known for the large dog treat jar that sits teasingly on the bar, slightly out of reach of our short four-legged friend. Although she may not be able to reach it, it doesn’t stop her from charming each member of staff with her wagging tail and pleading eyes to grant her treat after treat after treat. (One time she even managed to score a sausage from the kitchen!) She can’t officially confirm it but seeing her sprawled out in the sunshine within the cafe, surrounded by crumbs, makes it clear that there’s no place she’d rather be. It’s picture-perfect – would you agree?
Sarah's Edition: Elm Hill, a historic city street
Our lovely Account Manager, Sarah, has chosen one of Norwich’s most treasured streets to be her favourite summer spot. She has a long commute into work and one of the great things about working in the city is the chance for her to explore and surround herself in the history and culture of Norwich.
Elm Hill, tucked away in the heart of the city, oozes charm with its winding cobblestones and perfectly preserved Tudor houses. Wandering down these streets makes you feel like you’re stepping straight back in time, or straight onto a film set....
Elm Hill is sadly not one of Norwich’s hidden gems, it’s a little too famous for that. You may recognise it from a few major films over the years, transforming into a magical town in ’Stardust’ and stepping back into Victorian times in the recent ’Jingle Jangle’.
But film credits aside, Sarah’s favourite part is much simpler; the reassuring feeling of walking down a street that looks like it hasn’t changed in hundreds of years. It’s the kind of place where you half expect to see a horse and cart trundle past… or at least a film crew setting up for the next blockbuster.
Charlotte’s edition: Melville and Sons, Tombland’s newest wine bar
Charlotte's favourite place to escape to is Melville and Sons, Norwich’s latest cafe and bar. Perched on a bustling street corner that always seems to catch the sunshine. It’s the perfect spot to sit back and enjoy a good book whilst finding new inspiration for content from some good old people watching.
You’ll often find our Digital Marketing Assistant, Charlotte out front on her lunch breaks, iced coffee in one hand and a book in the other, happily soaking up the buzz of the city. But what she really loves are the green and white striped table and chairs outside and the vibrant 80’s inspired decor waiting inside. The setup feels charmingly European, just a touch out of place in Norwich, as if you could be on holiday. But step inside and instead of another country, you’re taken back in time; quirky, colourful, full of character and always busy, bustling and full of life.
The Melville's really is a great place to get lost in your imagination and the easiest accidental way to be a little bit late back to the office!
Sam’s edition: seaside escape
Sam has chosen one of Norfolk’s most delightful places to visit in the summertime: Cromer beach.
For her and her family, summer is full of exploring in the wild and discovering new places along the Norfolk coast, but somehow all roads lead back to Cromer. Perhaps it's the convenience of it being the quickest and easiest beach to reach from the city, perfect for a spontaneous after-school dash on a hot day or a morning swim before a packed day of kids sporting fixtures. Or maybe it's the timeless charm of a true seaside town; rows of colourful houses looking out over the bustling pier, and fish and chips shops on every corner, the favourites being No.1 or Mary Janes, though there’s always room left for ice cream. On the beach itself, the warm sand is comfortable enough to sink into whilst watching as the beginner surfers of the family tackle the waves – thankfully gentle and forgiving. On lucky days you may even spot a seal or two.
It's no wonder Cromer holds such a special place in Sam’s heart. Her family made several visits when considering relocating from London to Norwich. Now, every visit still feels like a treat, but also a reminder of just how fortunate they are to live so close to such a beautiful place. Not only has Sam found her home but so has Filigree.
Light-hearted summer fun with new technologies
Charlotte has had so much fun putting this little summer content campaign together. Not only as it’s been a chance to share some light-hearted stories from the team, but because she got to experiment creatively with AI. Part of her brief in her apprenticeship was to integrate emerging AI tools into a piece of work that combined copy and images, which she did by using two different tools; ChatGPT and Canva Ai. ChatGPT to generate images and refine copy in the same playful and light tone and then enhancing the visuals using tools in Canva Ai to incorporate text onto images. Did you spot it?
Although it’s been exciting to create, we aren’t too sure AI-generated images are for us, there’s something a little unnerving about them that we can’t quite put our fingers on. We think we’ll be sticking with real life images from now on, but still a great learning experience!