A Scottish coffee shop chain whose mission is to eradicate rough sleeping is to open its first venture in “the epicentre of homelessness” this morning, opposite Charing Cross station in central London.
Social Bite encourages customers to buy food and drink for homeless people and has co-opted A-list celebrities into its other fundraising activities, including George Clooney, Leonardo DiCaprio, the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.
Josh Littlejohn, who co-founded the charity in Edinburgh, said it had always been his intention to find a base in the heart of London, where more people live rough in the square mile around Charing Cross than anywhere else in the UK.
“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,” he said.
Social Bite’s policy of hiring rough sleepers to work in its cafés is copied in London. They make up a quarter of the workers and are offered help to find housing and with personal and social issues.
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The new shop is expected to be followed by others.
Sir Andrew Cubie, Social Bite’s executive chairman, said a partnership between the charity and BaxterStorey, a national hospitality company, would usher in a whole new phase of growth.
“An entrepreneurial charity is a concept some find difficult to get their heads around but Social Bite is a very good example of how you can combine commerciality with philanthropy,” he said.
The coffee shop’s first morning is expected to attract endorsements from well-known figures including Chris Evans and Kate Garraway.
