A town centre mental health cafe controversially evicted from a community arts centre two years ago, sparking an uproar of protest including from Madness singer Suggs, is re-launching following a huge fundraising effort.

The Revival Cafe in Whitstable, now re-branded Revival Food and Mood, will reopen in a former menswear shop in the town today, after the charity behind the project.

Mind in Bexley and East Kent bought the building allowing the initiative to restart.

Executive director Deborah Haylett says the innovative, social enterprise cafe is needed more than ever as the charity sees a huge increase in demand for its services and support.

“It’s been a long road but we are incredibly excited to be finally launching in the town again and offering mental health and well-being services from a dedicated space which is so badly needed,” she said.

There was uproar in 2021 when the Revival Cafe was forced to quit its accommodation with the loss of almost 10 jobs at the Horsebridge Arts Centre in the town, where bosses said the space was needed for exhibitions.

More than 4,000 people signed a petition against the eviction, including Madness frontman Suggs, Channel 4's The Great Pottery Throw Down judge, Keith Brymer Jones, and Whitstable Pearl author, Julie Wassmer.

But Horsebridge trustees would not budge, leaving the charity out in the cold.

It faced the huge challenge of finding new premises but was given a massive boost with a £120,000 grant from the government’s levelling-up fund.

It allowed the charity to get a mortgage on the former Woolleys menswear shop in the High Street.

But Ms Haylett says the building still needed a huge amount of work to restore and refurbish, totalling £160,000, which the community fundraising appeal and local businesses helped achieve.

“To be honest, we wouldn’t have been able to do it without the government grant or public support, “ she said.

“The building was also rotten right through and our estimated costs to fix it virtually doubled following Brexit and the pandemic.

“But we have done it and now look forward to welcoming customers with many of our former cafe staff from the Horsebridge who have also retrained in mental health.”

The cafe is open to anyone, especially those suffering loneliness, isolation and depression who the charity has been supporting in the community while seeking a new home.

It will provide them with a safe space as well as holding well-being workshops.

“We will also be offering free sessions in therapies like reflexology, hypnotherapy and yoga,” said Ms Haylett.

“But one of our most exciting new initiatives will be Thursdays when the cafe will be open to 11 to 16-year-olds from 3.30pm to 6.30pm and then to 16s and over until 10.30pm.

“Young people are among the biggest group to have become disenfranchised with nothing for them and we hope to fill that space and give them some support.

“Our goal is to create a safe space where individuals can share their stories, seek support, and access valuable resources for mental health care.

“I think we have huge potential to become an enormous asset to the town and beyond.”

The cafe will help fund the purchase, staff costs and running of the building, while upstairs space will be hired out, including an Airbnb called Revival Retreat.

The charity is holding a press launch with invited guests at 5.30pm today (Thursday), when the new facility will be officially opened by Julie Wassmer.