Reviews for CAT VILLAGE NORTH, GRASSMOOR, HASLAND AND WINSWICK
1/5 from Harriet
3 years ago
3 years ago
Very very disappointing. Photos of food are very deceiving. Won’t be here again.
PLEASE READ BEFORE DECIDING TO VISIT.
- Arrived and the outside looks like a dump (see pictures). In fact, we had to triple check it was the right place as it looked like it was closed and had been abandoned. The inside wasn’t much better, looked untidy. This is literally just someone’s house that’s been converted.
- Only one volunteer inside, she was nice enough but couldn’t deal well with the (fair and calm) criticism we made and looked like she’d just got out of bed. Completely unpresentable.
- Very awkward/Odd/ quiet atmosphere, no one was else was there. The only staff member there was quiet/lacks confidence to be the only person welcoming and introducing everything.
- We were told there’s no physical menu to give us because they’re re-doing everything on it and the only thing they have to offer us is pizza. Nobody wanted a pizza plus 2 of us had basic dietary requirements that wouldn’t be accounted for with a pizza. (Bare in mind we haven’t eaten today because we booked to go out to lunch here for my mums birthday treat)
- In the end we only ordered water and coffee. The coffee in which came red hot in a glass and couldn’t be held?! Terrible service.
- The toilets were dodgy, broken toilet seat, cat crates everywhere and cleaning equipment. Weird vibe.
- To top it off we paid around £40 for the privilege of all of the above. We understand that goes towards the cats but we might as well have donated online considering the experience.
- In conclusion don’t bother, it’s a dump and it’s a cafe that doesn’t give you any food choice!
Pros
- The cats. There was a great variety of breeds. But i’d highly recommend just going to another cat cafe. There’s a lovely one Stafford. (And York if you’re up there)
5/5 from Nicola
3 years ago
3 years ago
First of all, really good pizzas. Nice chilled out atmosphere, cats are always ready to greet you. I love that the cat area is separate to the café and allows you to enjoy food and drink without eating into the timed cat visit. (Pardon the pun)
5/5 from Mike
3 years ago
3 years ago
Such a heartwarming place! Both cats and staff are very friendly. Cats come up to you on their own and want to be petted. We enjoyed wonderful tea, latte, and cakes as well. I would call this place either cat heaven or fluffy kingdom.
Parking: Just approach the café, turn onto a side road and park on the street for free.
5/5 from Kaitlyn
3 years ago
3 years ago
This cafe is booking only!
Booked in with my sister and friend to see the cats and have a bite to eat. The servise is so friendly and quick when it comes to receiving your drinks and food. Whilst waiting for food my friend and I played "cards against humanity". We had a freshly made garlic bread pizza and pepperoni pizza wich they they both tasted absolutely divine. For desert we had a smores pizza loaded with toppings which was the 1st ever dessert pizza I've ever had and it was so good the melted marshmallows melting in your mouth "I mean what more could you want". When I t came to the cat room they were all so friendly and nit shy att all to purch on my lap for pets and even climb on my back and shoulders cuteness overload. They all get along very well with there being the hierarchy within cats. The room was nicely layed out and clean when we came in. Whilst we were chilling out with the cats we say and played the switch together with was a fun experience . Overall the experience was a 10/10 with the friendliness of staff and inclusiveness. The owner is very passionate and caring with what he does and how he displays his care for every individual. Cant wait to book again. Highly recommend.
Kid-friendliness: Everything is kid friendly as long as the parent looks after there child(s).
Wheelchair accessibility: There is a wheel chair ramp for those who use one with a different entrance especially for that.
5/5 from Saffie
3 years ago
3 years ago
First time at this cafe so had no idea what to expect. The hosts were really attentive and helpful, it was lovely to hear how much love and hard work has gone into building this place. The cats were obviously very happy and comfortable around us. We really enjoyed the relaxing music although all the comfy chairs were already claimed by the kitties! Would absolutely visit again! Thanks guys!
Parking: No on site parking we could see but plenty of space in the area to park on the street
5/5 from Enikő
3 years ago
3 years ago
My first experience at CVN. The cats were friendly and loving. Some of them came to sit on our lap and shoulders. A heaven for all cat lovers. 🐱
I would definitely recommend.
5/5 from Jessica
3 years ago
3 years ago
My first time at a cat cafe so didn’t have any expectations but this was a great experience. There was a lot of interaction with the kitties and most were comfortable with us being in their space. There were plenty of hideaways for the cats to escape to if they wanted a bit of distance but the more confident ones were happy enough to chill on us or next to us on the benches. There was a large variety of cats and you could see their little personalities within the time allocated. The owner was clearly passionate and loves the cats a lot. Some are rescues and some are used as therapy cats. A worthy place to spend a bit of money which would help the owner look after all the lovely cats and help with any medications and vet bills. I would definitely recommend a visit!
4/5 from Sarah
3 years ago
3 years ago
We loved our time at Cat Village North. Our host was really friendly and attentive. A lot of work has recently been done to improve the cat village. The cats were all lovely, and some came to sit with us. One even jumped down from a wall shelf onto my daughter's shoulders. The cat room and outside space are great for the cats, and they all seem to get along well.
1 star is missing for the smell. A little off-putting. But if you have a lot of cats, you're bound to have at least a bit of a pong...
Overall, it is a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Parking: Parking on the road. We managed to find a space a minuite's walk away.
5/5 from Christiane
3 years ago
3 years ago
The best cat café I've ever been to! Adam is such a lovely person and the various groups & activities that are run at the café really benefit the local community. The cats are super friendly and cuddly, within a few minutes, I had a cat snuggled up on my lap. It's evident that Adam takes great care of the cats and they all seem super happy to be there. We had some vegan pizza, which was amazing! It was delicious and there was so much cheese on it!
5/5 from Katie
4 years ago
4 years ago
We first visited Cat Village North (CVN) in September 2017, and have been returning on a semi-regular basis ever since (pandemic notwithstanding).
In that time it has transformed from a “traditional” cat cafe (ie. a cafe with cats in it), to a multi-use space that includes a sanctuary for the cats, and a separate cafe/bar area.
Having experienced the difficulty of trying to prevent the cats from swiping our food (which has always been excellent), I can certainly see the benefits of this set-up!
Aside from the cat & cafe visits, CVN offers a multitude of different groups for the local community, from crafting to support groups to movie nights, and lots else between.
Sadly we are no longer local to CVN, and so we stick to a weekly trip to see the cats. It’s usually quiet, and visitor numbers are controlled so as not to overwhelm them.
In the five years that we have been visiting, we have befriended many cats. Some of them are long term residents who were present on our very first visit, but many of them have been taken in or rescued by CVN for a variety of different reasons. This has included many different breeds and leg-lengths of cat (who knew "sausage cats" were a thing?!?!).
Some of them go on to live in the Village, whilst many of them have been temporary residents, who go on to be adopted.
Most weeks the cats are excited to see me - wanting a fuss, a lap to sit on, or to play. However, there are days when I show up and the cats are far more interested in snoozing than they are in me, and I am ignored for most of my visit. That’s just the nature of cats, and always a risk that I’m willing to take.
It’s worth bearing in mind that any visit is showing just an hour of time out of the lives of the cats, and one of the many hours that are put into the place both for the cats and for the community by the CVN team.
It is our experience that the cats are well cared for, and much loved by the owner and the volunteers. It’s worthy of note that the owner runs the place single-handedly (and possesses some sort of Jedi-like ability to calm even the most feisty of feral cats).
Why do we continue to visit regularly? They serve excellent coffee (with or without milk) and it is always such a pleasure to visit. Despite being a cynical misanthrope, I never fail to leave CVN without feeling a little better about the world.