Kits’ end Owner devastated as Covid forces closure of cat cafe
BRISTOL’S first and only cat cafe is set to close after its current owner surrendered her lease.
Ewa Rukat, who launched You & Meow in 2017 following a successful fundraising campaign, is now searching for a new tenant to take on the property.
The Denmark Street cafe reopened when Bristol entered Tier 2 on December 19, and planned to continue trading as normal, but Ewa will “assess the situation in three months” before deciding when to close.
Before the arrival of the first lockdown in March, Ewa had hoped to extend her current lease and even search for a second site to grow the business, but the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has forced her to scrap her plans.
Together with the landlord of the premises, she is now looking for someone to set up their own business in the unit.
“There was a lot of support for businesses from the Government in the first lockdown, which helped keep things running, and at that point I wasn’t even considering leaving,” Ewa told the Post.
“But when the second lockdown came I looked at the financial situation carefully and realised we could end up in a position where we’re not even be able to cover the rent.
“Unfortunately there’s not as much support from the Government now, which makes things a lot harder, especially for businesses in the hospitality industry.
“I felt that it was the right time to move on to a new chapter in my life, so I approached my landlord and asked if I could surrender the lease.
“We’re hopeful someone will come forward to take on the lease, but we’re not sure how much longer we’ll be open for, as it’s hard to gauge how much interest there will be.”
The cats at You & Meow, which won Best Quirky Venue at the inaugural Bristol Loves awards last year, will be re-homed when the venue closes, with fans of the cafe already expressing an interest in adopting them.
Ewa said she was “in tears” when she made the decision to move on and “leave her baby”.
“You & Meow was a special place for a lot of people, so I understand this decision will be met with a lot of sadness, but at least it has demonstrated that there’s demand for a cat cafe,” she added.
“It was truly heartbreaking when I realised the cafe could be at risk of closing down as You & Meow has been such a big part of my life.
“I’ve spent the past five years planning and running it and have poured all of my heart and soul into it.
“But I am now at peace with my decision and have to follow my gut.”
Anyone interested in taking up the lease can get in touch with Ewa on info@youandmeow.co.uk.
When the second lockdown came I looked at the financial situation carefully and realised we could end up in a position where we’re not even be able to cover the rent Ewa Rukat