Derry café offers free meals to school kids as cost-of-living crisis bites

The Nine Hostages Coffee Company at the top of Waterloo Street announced the initiative on its social media feeds.

"We can't believe how much everything has increased in price recently. All of us in hospitality have had to put prices up on everything to try to meet the astronomical prices of produce and pay wages and bills.

"It's not fair. Especially on the kids. We are doing free kids meals from Friday, September 2. If you need somewhere to go after school for a 'bitta' peace then you're welcome here. We will ask what you'd like from the free menu. There is zero judgement. We'd have loved this when we were wee 400 years ago," the popular coffee shop stated.

The company said the free school meals will be available all day, every day.

"Sometimes nobody's in the house when you get home or maybe someone in your class is finding things tough. Tell them about this or even suggest calling in with them. There'll be a few different things to pick from that'll tide ye over for a few hours," it said.

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