Fury in posh village as visitors use helicopters to fly to high-end deli

A furious row has broken out between locals in a Norfolk village and the owner of a high-end deli amid a spike in clientele arriving in choppers. Residents in the posh coastal enclave of Thornham have hit out at a rise in customers using helicopters to visit the village delicatessen, a shop that professes to flog "locally grown and sourced artisan produce". Complaints about the noise of the helicopters and the potential dangers they pose to villagers have even sparked a parish council investigation - although the deli owner has rubbished the criticisms and urged naysayers to "get a life".

Just last Saturday, seven choppers landed at Thornham Deli bringing diners for breakfast, the Eastern Daily Press reports. Flight data showed the aircraft setting off from areas including Bedford, Chatham and Chelmsford before arriving in Thornham to enjoy the shop's coffees, smoothies and freshly-made pastries.

Alongside classic deli offerings, the high-end business offers meals throughout the day, including full English breakfasts and steak bao buns, and also includes a lifestyle shop.

"Residents have raised the landing and taking off of helicopters behind the deli, citing noise pollution," councillor Andrew Jamieson said. "They fly in low over the houses, play area and hall, and there's no one supervising the landings where there are dogs and children about the place.

"We agreed at the parish council [that] we should liaise with the landowner to review the numbers landing and ensure there are sufficient safety assessments in place."

But Janie Thompson, who runs the deli, hit back at the unhappy locals with forcefulness.

"Surely there's a lot more going on in Thornham than complaining about this," she told the EDP. "They need to get a life.

"We take pride [in that] people want to get in their helicopters and come to us. It's once in a blue moon. It's probably 10 times a year and it's normally one helicopter."

West Norfolk Council said it had not received any formal complaints about noise issues linked to the landings but would also launch an investigation if they were lodged.