A NEW café in the city centre is hoping to serve up the purrfect cup of coffee for cat lovers.

Plans have been submitted for York’s first cat café to open in the former Baytree Interiors shop at 46 Goodramgate.

The three-storey venue would be home to twelve animals, which would roam through the building looking for cuddles from customers.

And there will be a cat “rest room” on the second floor where hardworking kitties can take a break and play on balancing poles.

The planning application says the café could help boost customers’ health and wellbeing and is likely to attract tourists as well as residents.

GALLERY OF CATS THAT HAVE MADE THE HEADLINES

It says: “The bespoke nature of the use will also deliver a cultural and leisure attraction for visitors and tourists. It is envisaged that the café will attract visitors from across North Yorkshire.

“The cat café will be the first of its kind in York and will contribute towards maintaining the existing level of diversity and cultural interest in the city.”

The venue aims to echo “incredibly successful” cat cafés in Newcastle, Leeds, Nottingham and London.

The entrance lobby will be adapted with an extra door and partition to keep the animals safe inside the building and the café will serve up tea, coffee and cakes for cat lovers.

Only 22 customers will be allowed inside the venue at a time to “ensure the quality of the experience and the welfare of the cats is maintained at all times”.

The planning documents say: “A member of staff will be responsible for checking on the welfare of the cats last thing in the evening and first thing in the morning to ensure a good level of amenity and care for the cats is maintained.

“A clear set of rules and regulations will be displayed at all times to protect the wellbeing of the cats as well as the quality of the experience for patrons.”

And the owners say the café could also improve customers’ health: “The proposal will also enhance wellbeing. With the rise of mental health issues becoming a prominent UK topic for discussion, animal assisted therapy is more frequently being used in hospitals to aid patient care and recovery.”

The planning statement highlights research which says that spending 15 minutes petting a cat can lower blood pressure and improve people’s mood. It adds that one study showed cat owners are 40 per cent less likely to have a heart attack.

If the plans get the go-ahead, the business will create one full time job and three part time roles and is set to open from 10am to 7pm on weekends and 11am to 7pm on weekdays.