Manchester’s soon-to-return Cat Cafe has shared a lengthy statement responding to the recent suggestion made by leading animal charities that their particular line of business should become a thing of the past.
Cat Cafe Manchester (CCM) closed its city centre premises back in January 2021 like so many others suffering from the post-pandemic struggle, but there are still several other feline-focused coffee shops and similar set-ups located up and down the country.
With that in mind and after the Manchester location announced a comeback later this year – in a prime location on Deansgate, no less – the discussion surrounding the niche industry has turned to issues regarding animal rights, welfare and overall quality of life.
However, rather than simply firing back at the likes of the RSPCA and Cats Protection over their concerns and belief that these venues should be “phased out”, the company has come out to agree with their overarching point whilst still assuring that their sites “are different”.
As you can see in an extensive reply, the brand begins by writing: “We are in strong agreement that there needs to be more regulation in the industry, as we believe many cafes are operating in manners that are harmful to cats.”
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They detail how they don’t support ventures that operate by simply piggybacking on vital animal rescue procedures, citing that around 90% of the UK’s cat cafes simply ship prospective pets in and out, creating a stressful environment for its furry residents.
In contrast, Cat Cafe MCR go on to insist that “cats in our cafes are pedigree, as they are best suited to an indoor-only environment [as opposed to rescues who often benefit from outdoor time], and they are bred for temperament, meaning our cats need a lot of attention from people, and also enjoy the company of other cats.
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“Our cafes have windows for natural light and there is plenty of space off the cafe floor for cats to get away from customers. They are provided with enough resources spread out throughout a very large building to reduce any competitive behaviour. Our cats are never ever kept in cages – as is the case in some Cat Cafes.”
CCM also explained how the behaviour of their in-house cats is analysed weekly, adding that “if we feel any cat in our cafe is not happy and is showing signs of stress, we would immediately remove them from the environment.”
Besides the obvious soothing quality of the experience for regular customers, cafes like theirs and the canine equivalent CuppaPug in Salford are extremely helpful in providing animal-assisted therapy for people struggling with mental health conditions and those categorised as neurodiverse.
Cat Cafe drew their response to a close by inviting both of the charities in question to work with them in creating new guidelines and strict rules when it comes to animal welfare in these spaces.
They concluded by declaring that not only are they “incredibly difficult to run responsibly” when done properly but that “Cat Cafes are not all the same, and they should not be opened without serious thought and consideration for the cats’ welfare.”
We are still unclear as to when exactly Cat Cafe Manchester will reopen but all we know is that the team will be as dedicated to providing an enjoyable experience for both the animals and visitors when it does.
A tasty festival celebrating all things tacos is taking place in Manchester next month
Emily Sergeant
Manchester is celebrating the start of May with tacos, tacos, and even more tacos, so make sure you’re hungry.
To coincide with both the early May bank holiday weekend, and of course the annual Mexican celebration Cinco De Mayo, Manchester‘s biggest street food and events space GRUB will be hosting its very-own festival dedicated to all things tacos.
The Green Quarter-based social hub will be bringing hungry Mancs two days of ‘tacos, tacos, and more tacos’ from midday onwards.
Five of the city’s very best street food traders, including El Piloto Tacos and Enchilady, will be cooking for you all weekend long, bringing their own authentic take on the humble taco, plus a feast of other specials to go alongside.
The massively-popular Nina’s Taco Truck, and Pez Tacos will also be pulling up at GRUB across the two days, so there’ll be plenty of choice.
And of course, we all need a sweet treat to finish things off, so GRUB favourite Munchie Mummy’s Kitchen will also be on site serving up a wide range of plant-based bakes to suit all tastes and dietary requirements.
To wash it all down, what would Cinco De Mayo be without a margarita?
A tasty tacos festival is taking place in Manchester next month / Credit: GRUB
For anyone that books a table in advance for GRUB’s Taco Fest, there’ll be buy one get one free on margaritas from the special pop-up margarita bar.
You can also expect craft beer, cocktails, special sodas and oft drinks, and great tunes blasting out across the beer garden, so now all we need to do is hope the Mexican-style sunshine graces Manchester with its presence.
Taco Fest will be taking place from 12-8pm on Sunday 4 May, and 12-6pm on Cinco De Mayo itself, Monday 5 May – which is also bank holiday Monday.
GRUB’s themed food fairs are always busy, so big groups are advised to book in advance here.
Featured Image – GRUB
Eats
Mystery golden egg to be hidden in Manchester and you win a £1.5k coffee prize bundle if you find it
Emily Sergeant
A mystery golden egg is being hidden in a secret location in Manchester, and you can win a £1.5k coffee bundle if you find it.
Speciality coffee roaster and popular cafe brand 200 Degrees has announced an ‘egg-citing’ Easter giveaway in a bid to celebrate the anticipated launch of its all-new spring menu, and it’s giving Manchester locals the chance to win an ultimate prize bundle full of some seriously-coveted coffee accessories.
A golden egg will be stashed in a key city location, and the first person to solve the clue and find it will win the premium prize worth hunting for.
Taking place next Tuesday (15 April) from midday, the Easter bunny will be tucked away somewhere in the city centre with an basket full of goodies, and also guarding the ultimate coffee lover’s prize.
A mystery golden egg with a £1.5k coffee prize bundle is being hidden in Manchester / Credit: Mylo Kaye | Victoria Shes (via Unsplash)
A Sage Bambino coffee machine, 1kg of 200 Degrees’ best-selling Brazilian Love Affair Beans, free coffee syrups and speciality oat milk, and even free coffee for a year from its shops, are just some of the prizes you could win in the bundle.
Even if you aren’t lucky enough to find the golden egg though, don’t worry, you won’t miss out, as anyone who joins the hunt and makes it to the giveaway location will receive a voucher code for a free drink from the new 200 Degrees spring menu, which is redeemable in-store.
200 Degrees’ own-recipe Salted Caramel Oat Iced Twist returns to the menu once again by popular demand, alongside a duo of other fruity chilled drinks perfect for the warmer days we’re having right now, and then when it comes to food, you’ll soon be able to tuck into the limited edition chicken tikka wrap and finish it off with something like the new raspberry and bergamot cake.
The new spring menu will be available from all 200 Degrees stores, including Manchester’s on Mosley Street, on the same day as the coffee bundle giveaway (15 April).
Keep an eye on 200 Degrees’ social channels on the day as they’ll be dropping cryptic clues to help you track down the golden egg in Manchester, and if you’re the first to crack the location, find the egg, and give the secret code word – which is revealed on its socials – then you’ll be able to claim the prize.
Don’t forget to check the website too, as secret codes will be hid across there, and if you spot one, you’ll unlock some exclusive discounts to enjoy over the Easter weekend.
Danny Jones -
20th March 2025 
