From Chapel to Café: The CATH Story in Peterborough

Discover how CATH Peterborough transformed a former chapel beside the Cathedral's Norman Arch into a thriving independent coffee shop and welcoming community space.

From Chapel to Café: The CATH Story in Peterborough

By Chris Elliott

During our recent walk around Peterborough city centre, one place that caught my eye was CATH Peterborough, an independent coffee shop tucked away on the left, just inside the Peterborough Cathedral grounds beside the historic Norman Arch. I often admire the city’s older buildings and wonder about the lives they have witnessed over the years. What I rarely think about are the people giving these historic places a new purpose today. Reading the owners’ reflections on CATH Peterborough’s first six months reminded me that every old building has a new story waiting to be told.

A New Chapter for CATH Peterborough

Marking 183 days since opening, owners Sam and Chris recently shared the journey that brought CATH Peterborough to life. What visitors see today as a welcoming and stylish coffee shop looked very different just a few weeks before opening. With the support of their wives, partners, parents, friends and many willing helpers, they transformed the former chapel into the unique space we see today in just four weeks.

Before and after views of CATH Cafe, showing the conversion of a former chapel in Peterborough.

Their story is a reminder that historic buildings are much more than bricks and mortar. They continue to evolve through the energy, dedication and vision of people prepared to invest their time and effort into giving them a new lease of life.

Six months on, the owners say their success is not only down to those who helped create the café but also to the customers who have chosen to seek it out. Hidden away within the Cathedral grounds, CATH Peterborough has built a loyal following of people willing to make the journey for quality coffee, good company and a welcoming atmosphere.

As an independent business, CATH Peterborough’s success also helps support other local enterprises, including suppliers and bakers who share the same commitment to serving the community. Every customer who walks through the arch is helping to support a network of small businesses that contribute to Peterborough’s local economy.

More Than Just a Coffee Shop

AI-generated image of CATH Cafe in Peterborough with customers enjoying coffee inside the converted chapel

As we walk around our city and admire its historic buildings, perhaps we should look beyond the architecture and consider the stories unfolding within them today. Every building has a past, but it also has a future, shaped by the people who care enough to preserve it and give it a new purpose.

The story of CATH Peterborough is about much more than coffee. It is about determination, community support and the successful transformation of a historic chapel into a thriving independent business. It shows how old buildings can continue to serve modern communities while retaining the character and heritage that make them special.

CATH Peterborough is a wonderful example of that continuing story, where a former chapel has found a new life as a thriving independent café, bringing people together while preserving a small but important piece of Peterborough’s heritage.

To read more of Cath Café, click here