Overview

The Earth in Common cafe at  Leith Croft in John's Place is in the renovated tennis pavilion and it's completely modernised: two ramps, a spotless accessible toilet, plenty of room to move about, seats inside and out together with a great view of the croft which grows vegetables and herbs used in the food. At the moment (September 2023), it's only open from 9am-3pm Tuesday to Sunday, but these hours may be extended in the spring. At lunchtime, there's at least one soup - I had leek and potato soup with loads of fresh herbs, and then a brownie, which was delicious: a base with seeds in, then the main part of the brownie including dates, so it was moist, sweet, delicious and quite rich. Everyone was very nice and friendly and the whole place has a pleasant atmosphere. My only quibble is that I'm not sure about going on my own: the doors were a little stiff and, depending on the width of the wheelchair, both sides of the doors on one entrance may need to be opened. The staff lady I spoke to said that there would always be at least one person at  the counter who would open the doors and help.

Transport & Parking

Parking may be a bit of a challenge - the roads are narrow and very little space to park. No car park. Good public transport links on Duke Street, Great Junction Street and the foot of Leith Walk - not far, perhaps 5 minutes' walk.

Access

There were two entrances with ramps, but the doors were a little stiff. No steps or lift, as building is all on one level. Plenty of seating inside and out. Not sure about induction loop (or if that is relevant for a cafe). No alternative formats for menus, though the specials for the day were written in largeish print on a blackboard.

Toilets

Accessible toilet easy to find and very clean and tidy. There is room for a carer. Not sure if it was a Changing Places toilet, but it was very roomy.

Staff

The staff were very kind, friendly and helpful. Their aim is to make this a community cafe and to extend the activities to suit community needs.