Two years ago, we launched our first high street cafe in the heart of Catterick Garrison, shortly followed by cafes in Scarborough, Lancaster, Winchester and Fareham. The aim was to provide the same taste of home we proudly offer in our locations around the world, to Forces communities. Our new cafes were to provide a welcoming, safe space for all, including veterans and the wider Defence community – something not regularly offered elsewhere but always desperately needed.

Since late 2020, when as a business we first began work on the UK cafe plan, we have been very proud to bring the NAAFI brand to the high street. However, despite our best efforts, and although it has become a popular place to meet for many people (and paws!), it is no longer economically possible for us to continue operating in Catterick. The many financial factors, including rent, business rates, operational costs, and rising product costs, mean that the money lost is too vast to continue, however much we would love to keep the facility open. Unfortunately, this was also the case for our cafes in Scarborough, Lancaster and Winchester.

NAAFI’s main focus is serving our Armed Forces, and we operate as a business, not a charity, with all our surpluses going back in various ways to support UK Armed Forces. To continue operating Catterick cafe would mean losing money at an unsustainable rate, money that could be used elsewhere serving Defence communities in our locations around the world.

However, we recognise that this presents an exciting opportunity for the cafe to become a community-led facility. NAAFI are happy to donate the cafe, with furniture, equipment and decorations included, and we would be prepared to support a proportion of the rental cost. This is just one example of how the cafe ownership could be transferred to keep it alive. There might be many others, and we are happy to work with any interested parties or organisations to keep the facility open.

Can you help us keep Catterick cafe running? If this is something you would like to discuss further, please contact catterickenquiries@naafi.co.uk.