Two strangers are going into business together after bonding over visions for a cafe

Strangers who bonded over a shared vision of creating a cafe that doubles up as a community hub have gone into business together to bring their dream to life.

Olivia Naylor and Lilia Bitouche, both from Portchester, got in contact with Fareham MP Suella Braverman with ideas to create a cafe that will not only act as a meeting place for parents, but will also become an inclusive community hub.

The MP put the two mums in contact with one another in November 2025, where the pair discussed their visions about bringing “something special to Portchester.”

Two strangers, who have bonded over a shared vision for Portchester, are opening a play cafe which will also offer community events, fitness classes and more.

Pictured: Olivia Naylor and Lilia Bitouche — Two strangers, who have bonded over a shared vision for Portchester, are opening a play cafe which will also offer community events, fitness classes and more. Pictured: Olivia Naylor and Lilia Bitouche | Contributed

placeholder image — Two strangers, who have bonded over a shared vision for Portchester, are opening a play cafe which will also offer community events, fitness classes and more. Pictured: Olivia Naylor and Lilia Bitouche | Contributed

Olivia said: “Within a few days, we were putting a deposit down and that was the start. As a parent, it is so scary starting a business. It is a risk but at the same time we don’t want to live in regret, and we want to do this for other people. We want people to have a place where they feel welcome and safe.”

The new play cafe, Papaya, will open on the ground floor of the former Lloyds Bank, in West Street, with an open date anticipated to be early autumn.

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The 31-year-old continued: “It is much more than a play cafe. We will have a studio for yoga, a dance academy, a meditation class, sound baths and we’ll be hosting events in the evenings. We’ll be offering things like wreath making, sip and paint evenings as well as activities for younger people. We want to be really inclusive for everyone and bring a new lease of life to the precinct.”

The cafe will feature a small role play area for young children, with Olivia saying it will mimic a “mini town” where kids can dress up. The play zone will give parents and carers the opportunity to relax with a hot drink while their child plays.

Papaya, which will have free parking all day, will also be working alongside the local leisure centre so it can use the studio space for additional classes in accordance with demand.

The former Lloyds bank in West Street, Portchester, will become a new play cafe. | Contributed

Olivia, who has a background in sales and marketing, explained: “We are both mums, we both have two children. We’re creating something we needed years ago and we are doing it for our children and for other mums so they have somewhere in Portchester rather than travelling.

“Me and Lilia got on so well from the off - we even live down the same road and didn’t even realise until we met. I feel really grateful and it just feel like it was all meant to be. The fact she went to Suella with the same idea and we found perfect place less than a week after meeting - We’ve become really good friends.”

Work will commence at the site in due course, with the majority of the interiors being fitted by Olivia’s dad who owns In2 Group Limited.

She added: “We want people to be really excited about it because the idea and vision we have is really going to come to life.”

For more information about Papaya, click here.