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Then and now: how a decade transformed a Norfolk town

Simon Parkin

Published: 10:52 AM January 7, 2020 Updated: 8:04 AM October 7, 2020

A radical change has been seen on Frenze Hall Lane in Diss from hedge-lined country road in 2010. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

What a difference a decade makes. As we enter the 2020s, winding the clock back 10 years reveals just how much Diss has changed.

Victoria Road in Diss back in 2010 and how its looks now with the Albert Terrace and Farrier Court homes. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

Hedge-lined country lanes have become housing developments, empty sites have been filled with hotels, care homes and flats.

St Nicholas Street in Diss included the army surplus shop and Blockbusters back in 2010. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

Using Google Street View, which began to be introduced into the UK from 2008, it is possible to time travel back and forth from the start of the 2010s to how the town looks as we enter the new decade.

The Thatchers Needle pub on Park Road in Diss was one of the many changes seen in the town in the past decade. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

There is much evidence of its on-going population growth with new housing having sprouted up along Frenze Hall Lane, which still had countryside on both sides in 2010, and Old High Road between Diss an Roydon.

What was a Somerfield in 2010 is now an Aldi on Mere Street in Diss, while the opposite side of the road has also seen change. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

The Persimmon development on Victoria Road was just about to get underway in 2010 now Albert Terrace and Farrier Court is home to dozens of families.

New housing now stands off Old High Road between Diss and Roydon on land that was still fields back in 2010. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

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The Thatchers Needle pub and hotel is shown to have sprung up on Park Road; and Somerfield became Aldi on Mere Street.

An empty site on Victoria Road coming into Diss in 2010 is now the location of De Lucy House care home. Picture: Google - Credit: Google

While St Nicholas Street is now part of Diss Heritage Triangle but back in 2010 was still home to The Old Quartermasters Stores army surplus shop and Blockbusters video rental - back when none of us had ever heard of Netflix!