Pete and Moira Huggins opened the South Quay Gallery in Great Yarmouth on 4 April with an initial exhibition titled Our Life in Art, a beautifully displayed selection of work from their extensive private collection. 26 South Quay was clearly going to be something a bit different as a gallery. I sat down with Moira on 31 August to ask her all about it.
She explained the vision that she and Pete share. “We’ve lovingly reimagined an entire building to create something special, a place where art, community and everyday life meet. South Quay Gallery brings together a dedicated exhibition space, a small and welcoming café, and a light-filled area for workshops and classes. It’s also our home, making this a deeply personal and heartfelt project.”
An inspired project
“Our inspiration comes from the spirit of Kettle’s Yard in Cambridge – a place that feels calm, inclusive and quietly inspiring. Both of us have spent days there and love the place, which was designed as a wonderful domestic setting and also to display the art collection. We hope to create that same sense of warmth and belonging here: somewhere you can drop in, linger and feel part of something creative.”
On what attracted her and Pete to 26 South Quay in the first place, Moira recalls how they heard about its sale just before they were due to fly to New Zealand for their daughter’s wedding. They had been thinking for some time about moving from Little Plumstead where they had lived for many years and two friends said they thought the property had their name on it. So they went to have a quick view to rule it out. Instead they fell in love with the building. “It had such a calming, welcoming feel to it, inside and out. Considering it hadn’t been lived in since 1932, that was quite remarkable.”
That was the beginning of a huge challenge to sell their house within the six months allowed from deposit to final purchase. They did end up having to rent for a few months, but it was all resolved finally, and having already secured planning permission to convert the upper floors for residential use, they were able to proceed straight away. “We were determined to make the most of all the lovely, comfortable rooms which were perfect for different things like the library and the kitchen, making most of the light as well as the space, but the conversion has worked out even better than we could have imagined.”
A building with a history
26 South Quay is a wonderful Grade II listed building with an illustrious history dating back to the 17th century when Great Yarmouth’s very prosperous merchants built grand houses along the quayside. Stripped of its original façade in the 18th century, it was given the Georgian façade that has changed little since. There is a fine, wide staircase that takes you up three floors, all featuring spacious rooms illuminated with huge windows looking over the River Yare. Outside there is a generously sized walled garden overlooked by English Heritage’s restored Row 111 house, and on the other side of the gallery’s car park stands the restored Old Merchant’s House. What is so pleasing about all these historic buildings is a gracious style which owes a lot to the long-standing trading and cultural links between Great Yarmouth and the Low Countries.
After being left unused for ten years, in 1999 the property was purchased by Great Yarmouth Preservation Trust, refurbished and converted to house the Ben Burgess Nelson Memorabilia Collection as The Norfolk Nelson Museum. Unfortunately the museum closed in 2019 and after a period in which the building became the Yare Gallery, the Trust reluctantly put the property on the market in 2024.
A welcoming space
Pete and Moira redesigned the ground floor space to create a welcoming entrance entered from the south side of the house on the historic row leading up into town from the South Quay. To the right is the cosy café and beyond, the peaceful walled garden. To the left is the main gallery entered through a lovely arched doorway. The second gallery space is on the floor above, a beautiful, light room which is also used for life drawing and various workshops.
I asked Moira whether they had a particular vision for the gallery prior to purchase. “I guess we did and it has come pretty close to what we had in mind. Having seen it when it was the Yare Gallery, we already knew the potential of the different spaces and although we developed it a bit differently to how we initially imagined, it has turned out a lot better, and the gallery space is perfect. I thought it wouldn’t be enough because we have only got limited space compared to before when every single room in the house was the gallery. But in fact there seems to be more than enough and it’s now much more manageable.”
Pete has always been an enthusiastic collector of art and over time Moira has become more involved. She says that it was the first exhibition featuring part of their collection that brought it home to her just what an eclectic and enjoyable collection it is, with so many interesting stories behind all the work. She would like to see it eventually as a permanent arrangement in the house.
Moira was particularly keen to offer a welcome social amenity with the café where people can meet whether or not they are visiting the gallery. “What we have done so far seems to be working to create a nice atmosphere with lots of regular things going on, like on Friday mornings a group that meets here every week to share and discuss any art and crafts that they have ongoing.”
Poetry evenings, theatrical performance or music recitals are all possible: the premises are licensed and events can take place outside in the garden, weather permitting.
An experimental approach
Noting that there is a lot going on, I wondered whether their plans might evolve or modify as they go on. Moira said that they had decided to throw everything at it in the first year and then step back and see what works and what doesn’t, and then make any changes or improvements that need to be made. “Halfway through our first year we are really pleased and it has been very rewarding to see how we have grown organically and the reception we are getting from people.”
It helps that Pete is well known in art circles. His skills as a professional photographer are often called upon to record and publicise art events. At Houghton Hall, for example, he has developed a good rapport with the artists he has worked alongside. He has also supported many local artists, photographing their work for publicity, archiving or publishing books. There are also interesting projects such as a recent book on art nouveau which involved touring Europe, or filming Chris Levine’s light installation at this year’s Venice Biennale.
South Quay Gallery is an exciting project based on a very personal love of the arts and I wish Pete and Moira Huggins many happy and rewarding years living and working here in Great Yarmouth. The gallery is at 26 South Quay, Great Yarmouth, NR30 2RG. Details about opening times, planned exhibitions and events can be found on their website.
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