A new business wanting to offer "the aesthetic and feel of a London café" has opened.

After being in talks for about a year, Leo and Sage welcomed its first customers in Elwick Place, Ashford, this morning.

Operations manager, Giulia Waddington, is excited to introduce an inspired café to the town.

"I want the café to highlight the best of Kent produce," she said.

"I want to offer the aesthetic and feel of a London-style café.

"We will offer fully seasonal food, gelato, cakes and coffee."

When brainstorming the idea, the 23-year-old considered what Ashford was missing and concluded that a contemporary café was the answer.

"I think we need to bring this development up and make it the focal point of Ashford," she said.

"You don't have to go all the way to London to experience a cool café.

"It's going to be right on your doorstep and you can walk home!"

Ms Waddington, who previously did the marketing at Unita 4 - an authentic Italian food restaurant also in Elwick Place - is hoping to encourage people of all ages into the café.

"The decor is going to be aesthetically pleasing so hopefully people will want to take lots of photos to share on social media like Instagram," she said.

"Even if young people just come in for an iced coffee, take a photo and tag us on social media, that's great."

The London style cafe offers Ashford prices with coffees costing between £2 and £3.50, and sandwiches at £6.50.

Ms Waddington's mother and step-dad are co-owners of the café along with Damiano Vecchio, who she describes as the "driving force of the whole project".

"He’s worked and owned restaurants in London before moving to Ashford to open Unità 4 at Elwick Place," she said.

"I decided to name it Leo and Sage because my mum is a Leo and my step-dad is a Sagittarius."

There had been talks of the unit homing an Asian fusion restaurant, but after more brainstorming the team decided on a café.

"Everyone loves coffee and cake," Ms Waddington said.

Prior to this, the unit was filled by fine-dining restaurant Gastronomist Club, but it had to close after just four months of opening due to being hit badly by the pandemic.

"We've got the furniture from Gastronomist, which is absolutely gorgeous," Ms Waddington said.

"We also have a six-metre bar with a cake display and foliage over the whole ceiling, it's going to be very aesthetically pleasing."

The unit seats about 30 covers.

Elwick Place is a £75 million development in the heart of Ashford which opened in 2018.

The area includes a six-screen Picturehouse cinema, a 58-room Travelodge Hotel, and eight restaurant and café units.

A new yoga studio is also set to open in Elwick Place soon as plans were approved at the end of last year.

Ashford DOJO will be located next door to Leo and Sage and will offer yoga, dance and fitness classes.

The opening date of the yoga studio is still yet to be confirmed.

Leo and Sage's opening hours are 8.30am-5.30pm Thursday to Sunday.