Ska legend Suggs has blasted a decision to evict a mental health café from an arts centre as "madness" as he joined a campaign to help raise cash.

Café Revival was ordered to quit the Horsebridge in Whitstable, sparking an angry backlash - with 4,000 people signing a petition calling for the decision to be reversed.

Deborah Haylett, business and development manager for Revival, says fighting the eviction would involve a costly and protracted court case that would “not be in ours or our users’ interest”.

The eviction notice came out of the blue in February, leaving café staff “bewildered and devastated”.

But a community funding campaign has attracted large support and an awareness event was held in the town's high street on Saturday.

The group was joined by Madness frontman Suggs - real name Graham McPherson - as well as Channel 4's The Great Pottery Throw Down judge Keith Brymer Jones and Whitstable Pearl author Julie Wassmer.

Revival has launched a scheme where people can become a community member for £10-a-year to help the cafe relocate in the high street.

Suggs said it was "madness" the mental health café had been kicked off the high street and should have a visible presence in town.

"It’s not like you couldn’t just go in and have a coffee, anyone could go in," he said.

"It was for people with mental health issues and without, it welcomed everyone and that is important. You need it local; you need just to be able to walk in."

He added that he is behind the campaign "all the way".

Keith Brymer Jones, who has supported Revival over the years, said it was important to ensure the café is accessible in the high street.

"There really couldn’t be a better place for this kind of initiative, never more so in these current and stressful times making the decision for eviction even more perplexing," he said.

"I am saddened that the management of The Horsebridge have not had a change of heart, it does not reflect well in the community they claim to serve."

Horsebridge trustees claim they need the space to expand art exhibitions, saying it is no longer suitable to have a café on-site.

But they have also been forced to deny allegations that they do not want the eatery because it is being promoted for people with mental health issues.

The backlash led to the Horsebridge extending the eviction notice by 60 days for talks with Mind Bexley, of which the café is an outreach project. But it has refused to budge on the eviction plan.

Read more: All the latest news from Whitstable