Flying circus school opens inside The Empire in Great Yarmouth

Herman said he had performed around the world as a trapeze artist, but wanted to settle in one place after 15 years of constant touring.

The acrobat said he plumped to stay in Great Yarmouth because of his relationships with both The Hippodrome and the town-based organisation Out There Arts, that offers year-round events and an annual festival attracting about 65,000 people.

The Empire, a landmark building on Marine Parade, has been variously run as a cinema, bingo hall and nightclub, before its most recent incarnation as a music venue closed in September due to rising costs.

Since 1947, The Empire has been owned by the Jay family, who also run The Hippodrome.

Herman said while performing in a flying trapeze troupe at The Hippodrome five years ago he attended a New Year’s Eve party at The Empire, and spent the night trying to persuade the Jays that it would be perfect for the venture.

“At the time it was a bar [and] club, so it didn’t make sense to try something like that,” said Herman.

“But then it had been sitting empty for almost a year and over the course of the winter I spent enough time annoying them that finally they said ‘Ok, let’s try it’.”