Milestone for Social Bite as charity launches its first cafe in England

The charity operates five cafes in Scotland where customers can buy food and drink for homeless people as well as for themselves.

Founder Josh Littlejohn at the launch of Social Bite’s first coffee shop in England (Ian West/PA)

Homeless charity Social Bite has expanded its work to London, setting up a new cafe in an area that is the “epicentre” of homelessness in the UK.

The charity, which has received visits from Hollywood superstars Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney as well as the Duchess of Cambridge, has five cafes in Scotland but the latest opening marks its first venture in England.

The new cafe is on the Strand, near Covent Garden, with the location chosen because the London borough of Westminster has an “exceptionally high” number of rough sleepers.

It comes almost 10 years after Social Bite set up its  first cafe in Edinburgh in August 2012, with a system that allows customers there to buy a meal or drink for a homeless person.

It also employs people from the homeless community among its full-time staff, with the charity aiming for one in four workers to come from a homeless background.

Actor George Clooney was mobbed when he visited the Social Bite cafe in Edinburgh in 2015. (Danny Lawson/PA)

Founder, Josh Littlejohn, hailed the new London branch as an “incredible milestone” for the charity.

He said: “We are delighted to be able to launch a new coffee shop in central London. It’s such an incredible milestone for us all here at Social Bite.

“There are many great charities already working in London, but we truly believe that our social impact programme is life-changing and provides something unique, having helped the lives of thousands we are excited to bring this change to the streets of London”.

The Duchess of Cambridge (right), on a visit to the Social Bite cafe in Aberdeen. (Andrew Milligan/PA)

Executive chair, Sir Andrew Cubie, said the problem of homelessness “remains one of our deepest societal issues”.

But he said: “The work I have witnessed Social Bite do has provided a renewed hope for positive change in our communities.

“This launch into London on Social Bite’s tenth anniversary marks the continued commitment and passion for positive change and an end to homelessness through pioneering programmes.”