Coventry pay-what-you-can café open an extra day as living prices rise

Darren Burgess from Coventry City Mission said that if people don't have any money, they don't have to pay anything

A café that asks people to pay what they feel they can afford has opened three days a week due to the cost of living crisis.

The "pay-what-you-can" café is run by Coventry City Mission in Wood End and will be open from 11:00 GMT on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

The café provides hot meals, snacks and a warm place to sit.

Darren Burgess, from the Mission, said: "If their pockets are empty, they don't pay a thing."

He added: "If they've got a little bit they pay a little bit, if they got a lot, maybe they may for someone else."

Coventry City Mission also runs a food bank and a community garden, where the produce grown is used to make meals for the café.

The cost of living hit a 30-year high last month, as prices surged by 5.5% in the 12 months to January, up from 5.4% in December, increasing the squeeze on household budgets.

Mr Burgess added that people are able to come to the café "just to sit in the warm so they don't have to worry about heating their own homes".