It's no secret that the long-awaited Cat Cafe in Shoreditch has been at the top of most Londoner's visit-list since it was announced last year. The internet was abuzz for months before the grand opening, which was largely a mystery as the proprietors built up what has proven to be an adorable cafe in and of itself. With 7,000 bookings made within 24 hours of opening, and the place being fully-booked for the next three months, Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium is one of the hot-spots in London for 2014. In fairness, why wouldn't it be? Most people like hot beverages, cake, and kittens, so bringing the three together is like the combustion triangle (hello, GCSE science) for business. The Cat Cafe isn't the only themed cafe to make a storm this year, there's also The Nana Cafe in Hackney, which is a refurbished public toilet, but don't let that put you off. It's about community and breaking down the social barriers between old and young, done through primarily recruiting women over 60 who work voluntarily to make comforting, home-cooked food for everyone. This is not just a help-the-elderly scheme - founder Katie Harris has said that when she moved back to London from university, she realised that she was very lucky to have her grandmother nearby, and that having a Nana Cafe could create a warm and familial atmosphere not just for the nanas, but for all the people in the community.
