A cat café owner said she has been left with no choice but to close after finding herself in a huge amount of debt due to constant demands from a council. Florence Heath, owner of Maison du Chat, said she has been left heartbroken after amounting to £45,000 and a £7,000 bill for a new licence has meant she can't afford to continue trading.
Maison du Chat has grown massively popular in the community, particularly with single parents and those seeking a 'safe space.' But the 40-year-old businesswoman started to hit problems when the café had its animal licence pulled after inspectors found the layout had not been adequately changed to house cats inside.
After months of wrangling with the council and changes to the cafe’s design, the London business was able to reopen in August. But the prolonged closure due to the licensing dispute and Covid lockdowns had taken a devastating toll on the business, MyLondon reports.
