A CHERISHED cat cafe is closing one of its branches after two years of delighting pet-obsessed punters.
The owner of the novelty Essex business is shutting it down with a “heavy heart” after rising costs and declining pawfall made the business unviable.
Cafe in Halstead is not your average
A £3.50 entry fee grants you an hour of fun with the cafe's
The resident cats live there whilst they search for a permanent home.
In a statement posted to the cafe's page, owner Rebecca White wrote: “This is one of the hardest messages I’ve had to write.
“After so much thought, and with a very heavy heart, I need to share that Halstead Meow .
“There’s no official date yet—but when there is, I’ll let you all know. For now, we’ll continue as usual, business as normal.”
Rebecca assured customers that the kitties were in safe hands, and would be transferred to the nearby Colcehster Meow branch.
She revealed that, since the branch opened, footfall Halstead had dropped off.
And, in a familiar story, Rebecca said that costs – “staff, stock, rent, rate” – have risen significantly.
That squeezed profits, because Rebecca vowed not to pass the costs on to customers.
However, the outgoing owner said the “biggest reason” for closing down was that she has been “stretched too thing trying to run two places”.
It has simply proved too demanding and kept her away from her kids, she said.
But there is a silver lining to all of this.
Closing down the Halstead branch will allow Rebecca to “pour [her] , time and love” into the Colchester spot and make it the best it can be.
Customers were distraught by the news, with over 1,000 people reacting to the social media announcement.
Many shared photos and memories of their past visits.
One wrote: “This is so sad to read. So glad I found you and found Ruby before you closed xx.”
Another said: “I'm gutted at this. I haven't been able to go to Halstead recently since it's a long journey for me, but I loved this location.”
The sad loss comes just weeks after the owner of another cat cafe, in Sudbury, spoke out to defend the industry against criticism.
Two charities called for animal-based cafes to be phased out, citing welfare concerns.
However, Rebecca's fellow cat cafe boss said their businesses are “getting it right when it comes to animal welfare”.
