A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to help fit out Aberdeen’s first permanent vegan cafe.

Bonobo Cafe has been run successfully by volunteers since February last year and is now looking to go full time in a new premises.

Starting life as a small vegan Saturday tearoom in May 2015, the venture grew to become Bonobo Cafe.

The cafe, entirely run by volunteers, was open every Saturday in a room at the Aberdeen Wellbeing Centre at McCombie’s Court.

All the takings from the cafe were put back into it, with nobody taking a wage for their work.

Eventually enough money was saved to pay for the legal costs to organise the lease of a new property, enabling the cafe to go full-time.

The Saturday pop-up closed at the end of November as the team focused its efforts on the move.

A lease agreement has now been signed for a property on Skene Street, which was formerly occupied by Bite Me.

The group is looking to raise £12,000, which would pay for some building work, equipment and fitting the cafe out, as well as the first month’s rent.

Depending on the amount given, donors would receive cards entitling them to free tea/coffee and food for a certain period of time.

Claire Sweeney, one of the founding members, said Aberdeen is lagging behind cities like Glasgow which has a number of well-established vegan eateries.

She said: “I think definitely we need one.

“There’s a big vegan community online.

“It’s going to increase as well because the vegan community is just getting bigger.”

The cafe plans to move away from the more stereotypical wholefood vegan meals and serve up versions of more mainstream food.

Claire said they will be using vegan cheese and meat alternatives.

The cafe will offer customers various wraps, soups, hotpots and even a full English breakfast.

To donate to help the cafe get up and running visit kickstarter.com/projects/bonobocafe/bonobo-cafe