Cafe owners to milk new trend

Cafe culture in Canterbury is in for a shake-up when a new business opens this autumn.

Because behind closed doors, a former art shop is being transformed into Kent’s first cereal cafe.

It will bring a new meaning to the all-day breakfast, but entrepreneurs behind the concept are hoping it won’t spark the same controversy as in Shoreditch last year.

Two brothers opened The Cereal Killer Cafe in the innercity London district, only to be faced by an anti-capitalist mob, angry they were charging £3.50 for a bowl of cereal.

But the brains behind the Cerealious Cafe in Stour Street, which will occupy the former Chromos warehouse, insists their menu will be “affordable” and take into account factors like students’ budgets.

They say it will be a fun venue for all, with a performance stage, mini cinema, Wi-fi lounge and even a hair salon.

Leading the design concept is Catherina Casey, who says the aim is to bring “a whole new dimension” to Canterbury’s social scene, offering a unique eat, work and play experience.

She said: “It is early days and we are still researching the menu and pricing, but we will want our cereals to be affordable, although people have to accept there are overheads to running a business.

“Canterbury already has many bars and clubs and we wanted to get away from the drinking culture image and give the city a different kind of social offering.

“So we will have a cereals cafe with lots of healthy and not so healthy options, a nine-metre table which also acts as a performance stage, a mini cinema with around 25 seats and a free Wi-fi lounge.

“In the evening, it will change to more of a cabaret-style performance venue.

“We want it to be a place where everyone will feel comfortable and a community cinema will let people choose what films they would like to watch.”

The old brick warehouse-style building is undergoing a major refit in preparation for its opening in November and will still carry the name Chromos over the door.

The operators say the business will also create a range of new jobs, including chefs, waiting and bar staff, hairdressers, nail technicians and performers.

What do you think? Email kentishgazette@thekmgroup. co.uk or write to Gazette House, 5-8 Boorman Way, Wraik Hill, Whitstable, CT5 3SE.

The former Chromos Gallery in Stour Street is being turned into a cereal cafe