[Ammi]

Britain's first ever 'cat cafe' where customers can enjoy a cup of coffee in the company of several felines officially opened its doors this morning.

The grand opening of Lady Dinah's Cat Emporium in Bethnal Green, east London, was much anticipated by animal lovers across the capital.

Within hours of its opening date being announced online, the cafe's website crashed when 3,000 people attempted to book a table

No doubt they were hoping to enjoy a selection of sandwiches, cakes, teas and coffees while stroking 11 residents cats and kittens - named Adamska, Artemis, Biscuit, Carbonelle, Donnie, Indiana, Loki, Mue, Petra, Romeo and Wookie.

But this morning Lady Dinah's looked a little quiet - with only a handful customers waiting for it to open.

Cat cafes are already hugely popular in Taiwan, China and Japan - with over 100 already established in Tokyo.

The cafe's website explains the concept: 'It's not just about being able to play with the cats

'It's about the whole experience: a small indulgence, a place to forget about your day and unwind.


'It's about coming in from the cold to a comfortable wingback chair, a hot cup of tea, a book, and a cat.'

The unusual eatery is owned by 31-year-old Australian Lauren Pears - who is a self confessed 'crazy cat lady.'

Ms Pears funded Lady Dinah's through crowdfunding website indiegogo.com

After hearing of the runaway success of cat cafes in Asia, she started her campaign to raise over £100,000 on the site on Christmas Eve 2012 - a target which was exceeded within two months.


One Russian animal welfare campaigner Anna Kogan, who is now the co-owner of the emporium, invested around £200,000 in the business - enough for Ms Pears to get a visa to stay in the UK.

Speaking earlier this year, Ms Pears said: ‘If something exists you can probably get it in London, but there’s one thing that lots of people living in London can’t have – a kitty

‘We thought long and hard about who would really benefit from having a cat café in London.


'I see commuters walking on their way to and from the station stopping to pet the neighbourhood cats, and since I am unable to own a cat myself due to my current flat and long hours I understand the desire to have a cat around.'


The cafe is decorated in a vintage Victorian theme


http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-busy-yet.html



..Sooty.....

[Cherie]

Arista's Cafe brought to life!

[Kate!]

I have to go there!

[arista]

I hope Sooty can visit it

[arista]

Pop in Honey for a Tea

[T*]

I want to go!

[Kizzy]

I bet it stinks...

[smeagol]

Theres better pussy in london than that. and a little less hairy lol

i cant think of anything worst than eating cat hair cakes and are those choclate chips or cat poo. eww

[Ninastar]

Sounds like a purrrrfect place to me!

[cheeky_monkey]

I hope to go and visit there one day.

[Kazanne]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I bet it stinks...

That's our Kizzy,lets open a dogs one

[arista]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I bet it stinks...

They may have a back door open
keeping the air flow

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Kazanne

That's our Kizzy,lets open a dogs one

Yey! dukes diner
Nobody would get any food he would nom it all!

[lostalex]

As a single 32 y/o man, there's no way i could ever go to a place like this and not be the creepiest person ever.

[Z]

I'd love to go

[Gstar]

Aw I need to go here

[Vanessa]

Love this. I want to go.

[Livia]

Bethnal Green.

I can just remember - and my parents can remember very clearly - when Bethnal Green was a normal place full of decent working class families. Before it got gentrified and the *******ing idiots arrived with their money and their ridiculous ideas to attract more of their kind. I despair, I really do.

[InOne]

Originally Posted by Livia

Bethnal Green.

I can just remember - and my parents can remember very clearly - when Bethnal Green was a normal place full of decent working class families. Before it got gentrified and the *******ing idiots arrived with their money and their ridiculous ideas to attract more of their kind. I despair, I really do.

It does seem quite up itself eh

[Cherie]

I wonder how they got around the hygiene aspect of serving the public with animals in situ.l

[Me. I Am Salman]

Bethnal green is literally a few bus stops from my house, I may check it out

[Josy]

Nothing more enjoyable than drinking a coffee from a hairy cup and the reek of cat piss around you eh.




Sounds like something from my nightmares tbh

[Livia]

You can't take your dog into a café unless it's a guide dog, so what's the story with that?

My mother has a mug that says "everything tastes better with a cat hair in it". I suspect this not to be true.