Upcoming
Events
-
Cafe Opening Time
Wednesday to Sunday
10am to 4pm
Wassail with us!
We invite you to join the East Anglian Folklore Centre on this special night, as we sing together to drive away the darkness and gently wake the Darling Magnolia in the Minories garden.
Meet at 4.30 pm at the Commons Café. Drop in, no booking required.
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Bread & Butter Vegan Market
A new vegan market night taking place at the Commons every first Thursday of the month, featuring local vegan vendors, community connections, drinks and street food. Free entry, kid-friendly areas.
In December, we have also teamed up with the Minories and The East Anglian Folklore Centre, with a special late-night opening of the Colchester Art Society Winter Exhibition, and a free screening of Miracle on 34th Street at 5.00 pm - All Welcome!
This month's event is part of Creative Colchester’s First Thursdays Festival.
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Colchester Café Scientifique: European Deserts: Sandy Wilderness on a Green Continent
Based on his latest book, environmentalist and author Chris Stone MIEnvSci will be talking about the untold story of the little-known deserts of Europe.
These are sandy and infertile lowland wildernesses, where extreme environmental conditions are the norm. Remote and mostly uninhabited, Europe’s arid tracts present landscapes differing profoundly from their surroundings and offer refuge for scarce flora and fauna with nowhere else to go.
For long these wastelands were poverty-stricken, and many had reputations as undesirable and even dangerous places. Unglamorous and frequently undervalued, the survival of the remaining fragments
including several local examples, is threatened despite their distinctive biodiversity, landscapes and fascinating human tales.
This talk will transform ideas about these extraordinary European landscapes.
Colchester Café Scientifique started in 2010 and is a place where, for the price of a cup of tea or coffee, people can learn about and discuss scientific issues. The speakers give their time free of charge.
Admission is free by ticket only.
They are issued on a first come first served basis from
Access will be via the garden gate entrance at the rear. For directions, see:- https://what3words.com/formed.handle.sits
For details of previous meetings, visit cafescientifique.org
Visit the Facebook Page:- www.facebook.com/cafescientifiquecolchester
The Imaginarium Presents:Beth Chatto’s Meanwhile Garden - The Urban Wild & Other Disturbances
Join us at the Commons for an evening of performance, conversation and ecology.
Our encounters with the neglected corners of urban decay, the rubble-strewn, derelict constructions, cracked concrete, and weed-infested edges, can sometimes feel like interruptions in the ordered experiences of city life. Yet this perturbing sense of
uncontrollable, out-of-place, unsettled, and undesirable urban experience can often overlook broader modes of disturbance that function as forces, constantly transforming our environments, imaginations, and collective futures.
This free and open-to-all event invites you to consider concepts and practices of disturbance, not as unwelcome ruptures in predictable everyday urban experience, but as openings to something gainfully unintentional, unexpected, and perceptibly surprising.
There will be a pay bar and food available to buy as part of the evening.
Free event, booking essential.
To read the full programme and to book, visit
https://culturalengine.org.uk/imaginarium-returns/
Valentine's Jazz: Not Just For Lovers
We are celebrating Valentine's Day 'not just for lovers!' at the Commons cafe with a superb jazz band.
Whether you are looking for a romantic tête-à-tête with your darling, wishing to celebrate the freedom following a break-up, are on the look-out for a new date who shares a love for jazz or just want to enjoy some great music, you will be catered for!
This will be a sociable event where you can mingle, dance or just chill and enjoy the music with a festive drink. The cafe is selling
bubbly, wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.
The band features a selection of some outstanding musicians:
Carl Sterling - sax
Ian Buzer – trumpet
Dave Holland – keys
Simon Hurley – guitar
Simon Wood – bass
Elmer Van Der Hoek - drums.
The band will play two sets between 7.30 pm and 10 pm.
Entrance is via the back door in the wall behind the Minories, just across the Firstsite Art Centre. Doors open 7.00 pm.
Tickets: £10 general / £7 for under-18s and students.
Available via QR code, online via https://good-show.co.uk/events/3352, at the café, or on the door.
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Creative Colchester February Social
This February, the Commons Café is hosting Creative Colchester’s monthly social.
Come and meet the city’s creative community in a relaxed setting – it’s the perfect way to meet fellow creatives, share stories, and
projects, find collaborations and forge friendships.
Free event. Drop in for a short while or stay the whole evening. Drinks and bar snacks will be available for purchase at the café/bar.
Lace Art Social
Lace Making Meetup. Fortnightly at The Commons
Join this Lace Making Meetup on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Bring along your own lace projects, and let's make lace
together!
Sicilian Street Food Making Workshop
Learn the secrets of Sicilian street food in this hands-on workshop!
Come join us for a delicious journey through Sicilian cuisine. Indulge in authentic Sicilian delicacies that will transport you to the streets of Sicily. Immerse yourself in the vibrant flavours and rich culinary tradition of Sicilian street food while enjoying a fun and casual atmosphere.
During the workshop, we will do the following recipes :
Panelle (Sicilian chickpea fritters) are a typical Sicilian street food. These crispy little bites made with chickpea flour are exceptionally delicious served in a rustic bun and drizzled with fresh lemon juice.
Sfincione Siciliano is a Sicilian style focaccia unlike any other you've tried before. Topped with a rich tomato sauce, crispy bread crumbs, grated cheese, onions, and oregano for a satisfying crunch with every bite!
Sicilian Calzone is a typical street food. A pizza-like dough is filled with Spinach, cherry tomatoes, cheese and anchovies to create a tasty treat enjoyed as a snack or quick lunch.Don't miss this opportunity to savour the best of Sicilian cuisine right here in Colchester.
Hot drinks and recipes will be included.
Tickets: £70.50
Ember Sessions
In this the debut ember sessions show, three incredible folk artists will softly share their stories with song. There will be live drawing throughout by Tina Bullen.
Tickets £10 / £8
£8 tickets are available for Friends of The Minories and Commons Cafe Members from Gemma in the East Anglian Folk Centre (first floor of the Minories)
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
EMOM: Electronic Music Open Mic!
Clip and the Colchester Electronic Collective Presents
EMOM: Electronic Music Open Mic
Eight acts from across the spectrum of electronic music genres play
short sets of original music. Food and drink will be available for purchase on the night.
All ages are welcome.
Colchester Digital
Join Colchester Digital for an evening of insight, inspiration, and connection. Tickets are free, but please sign up. The bar is open with a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Colchester Digital is a Meetup group for individuals and businesses in and around the Colchester area. We welcome everyone working or interested in the creative or Tech industries.
Colchester Digital meets regularly, usually on the last Thursday of the month. We come together to share knowledge, experience, and information, and where possible, to collaborate on a wider scale.
6.30-7.00 Arrive, chat, grab a slice of pizza and drink
6.55-7.00 Welcome and quick intros
7.00-8.00 Talks and presentations by invited guest speakers
8.00-8.30 Final bit of networking before we wrap
Love Music Hate Racism: JAZZ
An evening of live Jazz and Moroccan song at The Commons Cafe to promote CUAR's (Colchester United Against Racism) anti-racist and anti-far right message. All proceeds from ticket sales go to Colchester Unite Against Racism.
JAZZ RAGE AGAINST RACISM QUARTET
will play a mixture of melodious jazz standards, bossa nova and funky tunes. Easy to listen to and some to dance to.
Carl Sterling - sax
Dave Holland - keys
Simon Wood - double bass
Elmer van der Hoek - drums
PADS AND STRINGS QUARTET
a local jazz quartet who'll be playing a mix of jazz standards and some unusual ones as well. They're all experienced musicians who play in a variety of jazz bands
Neil Bateman saxophone
Andrew Keddie guitar
Rob Palmer bass
David Parker drums.
ALEX BELLA - guitar & Moroccan vocals
£12 standard ticket.
£15 solidarity ticket, with donation to CUAR.
Lace Art Social
Lace Making Meetup. Fortnightly at The Commons
Join this Lace Making Meetup on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Bring along your own lace projects, and let's make lace
together!
Lace Art Social
Lace Making Meetup. Fortnightly at The Commons
Join this Lace Making Meetup on the first and third Thursdays of the month. Bring along your own lace projects, and let's make lace
together!
Easter Bread Making Workshop
Whether you're a seasoned baker or a complete beginner, this workshop is perfect for anyone looking to add some homemade charm to their holiday celebrations. Giovanni will guide you through each step of the process, from mixing the dough to shaping and baking the loaves.
Learn how to bake delicious Easter breads from scratch and impress your friends and family with your new skills. No experience needed! These are the breads that we will make during the workshop:
· Paska: traditional ukranian sweet and fragrant easter bread enriched with vanilla, ginger and citrus juice.
· Casatiello: a savory italian bread filled with salame, pancetta, mature cheese, black pepper and eggs.
· Osterpinze: an austrian easter bread, sweet and lightly spiced with white wine and sultanas. Hot drinks and recipes included.
£80.50 per person
Eventbrite link to book and find more information:
The Culinary Adventures of a Travelling Baker
Born in Naples, Giovanni is the fourth-generation baker in his family, which owns a bakery in Pollena Trocchia in the Vesuvius National Park, near Naples. It was there where he was taught by his grandmother Maria from an early age. After graduating at 18 from the cookery academy of Pollena Trocchia, he started to work full time in his family bakery until he was 22 when he began traveling the world, baking along the way. Now living in England for almost 10 years, Giovanni works as a baking teacher and teaches various categories of courses in different venues across Essex, Suffolk and London.
Colchester Digital
Join Colchester Digital for an evening of insight, inspiration, and connection. Tickets are free, but please sign up. The bar is open with a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Colchester Digital is a Meetup group for individuals and businesses in and around the Colchester area. We welcome everyone working or interested in the creative or Tech industries.
Colchester Digital meets regularly, usually on the last Thursday of the month. We come together to share knowledge, experience, and information, and where possible, to collaborate on a wider scale.
6.30-7.00 Arrive, chat, grab a slice of pizza and drink
6.55-7.00 Welcome and quick intros
7.00-8.00 Talks and presentations by invited guest speakers
8.00-8.30 Final bit of networking before we wrap
Spring Bread Making Workshop
Join Giovanni to learn the art of baking delicious bread from scratch. Whether you're a beginner or a seasoned baker, this workshop is perfect for anyone looking to enhance their baking skills. Get ready to roll up your sleeves, knead some dough, and enjoy the wonderful aroma of freshly baked bread.
During this workshop we will make:
· Jerusalem artichoke (topinambur), paprika and mixed seeds bread
· Radish and Almonds Bread
· Peas, Pumpkin seeds and Mint Bread
£68.50 per person
Eventbrite link to book and find more information:
The Culinary Adventures of a Travelling Baker
Born in Naples, Giovanni is the fourth-generation baker in his family, which owns a bakery in Pollena Trocchia in the Vesuvius National Park, near Naples. It was there where he was taught by his grandmother Maria from an early age. After graduating at 18 from the cookery academy of Pollena Trocchia, he started to work full time in his family bakery until he was 22 when he began traveling the world, baking along the way. Now living in England for almost 10 years, Giovanni works as a baking teacher and teaches various categories of courses in different venues across Essex, Suffolk and London.
Colchester Digital
Join Colchester Digital for an evening of insight, inspiration, and connection. Tickets are free, but please sign up. The bar is open with a range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
Colchester Digital is a Meetup group for individuals and businesses in and around the Colchester area. We welcome everyone working or interested in the creative or Tech industries.
Colchester Digital meets regularly, usually on the last Thursday of the month. We come together to share knowledge, experience, and information, and where possible, to collaborate on a wider scale.
6.30-7.00 Arrive, chat, grab a slice of pizza and drink
6.55-7.00 Welcome and quick intros
7.00-8.00 Talks and presentations by invited guest speakers
8.00-8.30 Final bit of networking before we wrap
Burns Night Supper
The Commons is supporting the East Anglian Folklore Centre’s Burns Night at the Queen Street Brewhouse with a pre-show Burns Night Supper. We will be serving vegan Haggis accompanied with Neeps and Tatties and Whisky Cream Sauce on Sunday, 25 January, between 6 pm and 7.30 pm,
£10 per head.
To book your Burns Night Supper, please pop into the cafe before 22nd January to place your order.
Keep the Home Fires Burning
Sunday 25 January, from 7.30pm
Queen Street Brewhouse
Tickets £12 (includes your first wee dram…Non alcoholic drams available)
Come and celebrate Burns Night with the East Anglian Folklore Centre at the Queen St Brewhouse.
FEATURING THE FINE TALENTS OF
Alice De Lumiere, Bethan Briggs-Miller & Ethel Fled
........................
With a Headline Set from THE MEDLARS
...........................
All capped off with a singaround of seasonal tunes led by Lizzie!
...........................
With more entertainment to be confirmed.
Book for the pre-show dinner directly with The Commons Café.
Read more at https://www.eastanglianfolklorecentre.co.uk/whatson
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
The Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 at The Commons Café
We’re gearing up for the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch on 23-25 January.
The Big Garden Birdwatch is the world’s largest garden wildlife survey. Every year, hundreds of thousands of nature lovers take part, helping to build a picture of how garden birds are faring
How to take part:
- Come along to the Commons Cafe to take part in a collaborative bird count at any of three specified scientific hours, engaging with nature in the Minories’ beautiful garden from the comfort of our warm café. Sketch the birds you see, or create your own feathered friend from imagination (drop in, no booing required).
- Organise your own count at home or in a nearby park: just choose an hour anytime between 23 and 25 January, and upload your results to the RSPB website.
For more information and how to register, visit
https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch
Birdwatching slots at the Commons:
Friday 23 January – meet at 10.00 am for counting 10.30–11.30 am
Saturday 24 January – meet at 10.00 am for counting 10.30–11.30 am
Sunday 25 January – meet at 2.00 pm for counting 2.30-3.30 pm
Ancient Roman Bread Making workshop
Whether you're a seasoned baker or a complete beginner, this workshop is perfect for anyone looking to add some homemade charm to their holiday celebrations. Giovanni will guide you through each step of the process, from mixing the dough to shaping and baking the loaves.
£67.50 including hot drinks refreshments and recipes.
Suitable for all abilities, in this workshop we will take a virtual journey, going back in time and kneading from scratch three types of dough with different shapes:
· Ancient Roman Bread made with Millet flour, Grape juice, honey and Poppy seeds
· Panis Farreus made with Spelt flour
· Catone Libum Bread made with Spelt flour, yoghurt, olive oil, mixed herbs, bay leaves and ricotta cheese.
Eventbrite link to book and find more information
The Culinary Adventures of a Travelling Baker
Born in Naples, Giovanni is the fourth-generation baker in his family, which owns a bakery in Pollena Trocchia in the Vesuvius National Park, near Naples. It was there where he was taught by his grandmother Maria from an early age. After graduating at 18 from the cookery academy of Pollena Trocchia, he started to work full time in his family bakery until he was 22 when he began traveling the world, baking along the way. Now living in England for almost 10 years, Giovanni works as a baking teacher and teaches various categories of courses in different venues across Essex, Suffolk and London.
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Private Hire (Evening)
We have a few private hires happening this month, adding a lovely mix of gatherings and celebrations to the space.
If you’re planning an event, workshop, or get-together, it’s a great time to hire our venue, a warm, creative space in the heart of Colchester, perfect for bringing people together.
Colchester Café Scientifique: Applied Performance Science: Real-World Problem Solving in Elite Sport and Dance
Dr. Jamie Tallent from the School of Sport, Rehabilitation and Exercise Sciences at the University of Essex will present examples of
how we tackle complex performance questions across multiple sectors, from managing rehearsal load in ballet and optimising bat speed in cricket. These case studies show how we combine scientific methods to drive evidence-based solutions that reduce injury and enhance
performance.
Colchester Café Scientifique started in 2010 and is a place where, for the price of a cup of tea or coffee, people can learn about and discuss scientific issues. The speakers give their time free of charge.
Admission is free by ticket only.
They are issued on a first come first served basis from
Access will be via the garden gate entrance at the rear. For directions, see:- https://what3words.com/formed.handle.sits
For details of previous meetings, visit cafescientifique.org
Visit the Facebook Page:- www.facebook.com/cafescientifiquecolchester
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Tyler Baker presents: Out Open Windows
Join us in celebrating the release of the new Gasoline Green album ‘Out Open Windows’ with an intimate evening of alternative folk music from Tyler Baker (Gasoline Green) and Dean Frost.
Gasoline Green is the musical project of multi-instrumentist, songwriter and Colchester native Tyler Baker. His latest body of work ‘Out Open Windows’ draws influence the quirky art-folk music of Richard Dawson, Mount Eerie and Cameron Winter as well as classic singer-songwriters like Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan.
Dean Frost is an indie folk artist from East Anglia, blending poetic minimalism with intricate guitar work and hushed, emotive vocals. Writing songs for overthinkers and fence-sitters, his sound draws from
the gentleness of Nick Drake and the confessional intimacy of Elliott
Smith.
Tickets £5 - pay on the door.
West African Drumming with Hassan
Hassan of "Drumz Kool" has been playing and teaching West African Percussion for nearly 20 years. He has been taught by Famoudu Konaté, the top most master of this art form from Guinea, West Africa.
For a better understanding of exactly what Hassan does please see "Drumz Kool" on youtube.
Fee - £15 per person (cash only)
Closed for Christmas
Holiday Break at Common Ground
We’ll be closed for Christmas from 22nd December to 5th January to rest, recharge, and get ready for an exciting new year ahead.
Thank you for being part of our community this year, we can’t wait to welcome you back in January for more creativity, conversation, and connection.
Wishing you all a warm and joyful festive season!
BIG TWIXMAS OPENING DAY
Bored between Christmas and New Year?
The Minories Art Gallery and Commons Cafe are opening for one day and running a range of free activities suitable for everyone from the kids to Grandma - why not bring your whole family?
Try out some of our new creative workshops absolutely free of charge at the Minories
Visit the East Anglian Folklore Centre and explore stories of weird and wonderful seasonal folklore from all over East Anglia.
Get a break from cooking with delicious seasonal soup and other treats from our cafe, The Commons.
https://www.theminories.org/event/big-twixmas-opening-day
Closed for Christmas
Holiday Break at Common Ground
We’ll be closed for Christmas from 22nd December to 5th January to rest, recharge, and get ready for an exciting new year ahead.
Thank you for being part of our community this year, we can’t wait to welcome you back in January for more creativity, conversation, and connection.
Wishing you all a warm and joyful festive season!
Didge Dominion
Immerse yourself in the primal pulse of the didgeridoo, where ancient sounds and modern rhythms create an unforgettable sonic experience. The night presents a new expression of didgeridoo playing, mixing up a creative and percussive style with rhythmic and tribal harmonics.
There will be performances by Andrew Root (Leicestershire), Adam Tahraoui (Ireland) and a debut album performance of "Involutions" by
Adam Moore (Wivenhoe, Essex).
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/adammooremusic/
Doors 6:45pm performance starts at 7:15pm.
Entrance to The Commons is via the black gate at the bottom of the Minories garden, opposite Firstsite
XMAS Jazz Grooves, Gig and Jam
You are invited to this Christmas Jazz party with a jam in the Commons cafe. A power septet will fire off the evening with danceable swing, funk and latin jazz grooves.
This will be a sociable event where you can mingle, show off on the dance floor or just chill and enjoy the music with a festive drink.
The cafe is selling wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.
The band will play two sets 8-10pm before opening the stage for other musicians, including singers, to take part in the jam until midnight.
The band:
Kevin Flanagan - sax
Ian Buzer – trumpet
Tony Gooderham – keys
Gareth George – guitar
Eva Holmes – bass
Adrian Wiggins - percussion
Elmer Van Der Hoek - drums
This will be a sociable event where you can mingle, show off on the dance floor or just chill and enjoy the music with a festive drink. The cafe is selling wine, beer, non-alcoholic drinks and snacks.
The band will play two sets 8-10pm before opening the stage for other musicians, including singers, to take part in the jam until midnight.
Tickets are £10 (for <18y and students £7. )
Booking link below or pay in advance from the café or on the door.
Entrance is via the back door in the wall behind the Minories, just across the Firstsite Art Centre. Doors open 7.30pm.
Venue address: The Commons Community Kitchen and Café at The Minories
74 High St, Colchester CO1 1UE
Creative Colchester December Social
This December, the Commons Café is hosting Creative Colchester’s monthly social.
Come and meet the city’s creative community in a relaxed setting – it’s the perfect way to meet fellow creatives, share stories, and projects, find collaborations and forge friendships.
Free event. Drop in for a short while or stay the whole evening. Food and drink will be available for purchase at the café/bar.
Roll the Credits (Film - Let the Right One In)
This December, Roll the Credits will be diving into Let the Right One In. In (2008), a haunting Swedish vampire tale of quiet horror, isolation and an unusual friendship. Wintry, atmospheric and perfectly eerie for the colder season, it’s a story that lingers long after the final scene.
Roll the Credits is a monthly horror film discussion club which picks one film each month, watches it individually and then comes together to discuss what haunted us most.
Our aim is simple: one film, one conversation, once a month.
So watch the film in your own time, then join us as we unravel the horror that lingers long after the credits roll.
EMOM: Electronic Music Open Mic!
Clip and the Colchester Electronic Collective Presents
EMOM: Electronic Music Open Mic
Eight acts from across the spectrum of electronic music genres play
short sets of original music. Food and drink will be available for purchase on the night.
All ages are welcome.
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Pub Quiz at the Commons
Join our effervescent Quizmaster Shaz for the first-ever Pub Quiz at the Commons!
Put your trivia skills to the test with a night of fun and tomfoolery. Whether you’re a quiz whiz or just in it for laughs, it’s the perfect way to unwind, enjoy some friendly competition, and maybe even win bragging rights. Come and grab a drink, and let’s see who knows their stuff!
This is a fundraising event for The Commons Community Café, a not-for-profit community co-operative.
Quiz takes place 7-9 pm
(doors open from 6 pm)
Entry: £5 per person
Maximum 4 people in a team
Food and drink will be available to purchase on the night. There will be a pub hamper prize for the winning team!
Reserve your place below
Pay at The Commons Cafe anytime before the event, or at the door before 6.45 pm (Please note that your ticket may be offered to someone else if you've not paid by 6.45 pm on the night!)
Private Hire (Whole Day)
Closed whole day
We have a few private hires happening this month, adding a lovely mix of gatherings and celebrations to the space.
If you’re planning an event, workshop, or get-together, it’s a great time to hire our venue, a warm, creative space in the heart of Colchester, perfect for bringing people together.
Colchester Café Scientifique: Finding Shelter in the Storm: The Power(and Fragility) of Trust
When life feels uncertain, many of us turn to the people we love for comfort and stability. But relationships don’t automatically protect us from life’s storms — they only become a true shelter when built on trust.
In this talk, Dr Veronica Lamarche from the Department of Psychology at the University of Essex explores how our connections with others can serve as powerful psychological buffers against stress and insecurity, and why trust - both in others and in ourselves - is the key ingredient.
Drawing on insights from relationship science and social-personality psychology, Veronica will discuss how experiences with others - real or imagined - shape our ability to depend on each other, why some people struggle to feel safe even in loving relationships, and what science suggests about creating the kind of closeness that truly sustains us when the world feels unpredictable.
Colchester Café Scientifique started in 2010 and is a place where, for the price of a cup of tea or coffee, people can learn about and discuss scientific issues. The speakers give their time free of charge.
Admission is free by ticket only.
They are issued on a first come first served basis from
Access will be via the garden gate entrance at the rear. For directions, see:- https://what3words.com/formed.handle.sits
For details of previous meetings, visit cafescientifique.org
Visit the Facebook Page:- www.facebook.com/cafescientifiquecolchester
Private Hire (Evening)
We have a few private hires happening this month, adding a lovely mix of gatherings and celebrations to the space.
If you’re planning an event, workshop, or get-together, it’s a great time to hire our venue, a warm, creative space in the heart of Colchester, perfect for bringing people together.
Pattern Up: Bassline, Drum and Bass, 90's Jungle
A night of multi-genre dance music and DJ / MCs.
Ten Ton Beats, a multi-genre UK-based record label, presents an event celebrating UK Dance music. We return to The Commons Cafe for the second chapter.
We bring back those trademark rave vibes. And a 360 crowd surrounding the DJ live MC’s, a serious sound system upgrade and our ever-present firm but friendly security team.
One thing we celebrate at Pattern Up is grassroots emerging DJ talent
/MCs and what a line-up we have for you this time round. Our music policy, as always, is a multi-genre approach to dance music. In this episode: Bassline, Drum and Bass and my personal fave 90's Jungle.
As always, this is also a celebration of the fact that the UK is an excellent example of all of the different cultures from all over the world that have settled in the UK, bringing their different rhythms and types of music, and incorporating them into UK music culture. We have an extremely rich, vibrant and diverse dance music which reflects nations from everywhere. This is why this event proudly supports Colchester Against Racism.
More info - https://linktr.ee/projectlando
Tickets £5 (Early bird tickets £4)
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG
Private Hire (Evening)
We have a few private hires happening this month, adding a lovely mix of gatherings and celebrations to the space.
If you’re planning an event, workshop, or get-together, it’s a great time to hire our venue, a warm, creative space in the heart of Colchester, perfect for bringing people together.
Christmas Bread Making Workshop
Whether you're a seasoned baker or a complete beginner, this workshop is perfect for anyone looking to add some homemade charm to their holiday celebrations. Giovanni will guide you through each step of the process, from mixing the dough to shaping and baking the loaves.
£77.10 per person, including hot drinks, refreshments, and recipes.
Suitable for all abilities, in this Christmas Bread Making Workshop you will make:
· Christopsomo: a sweet Greek bread seasoned with cinnamon, sugar, anise and walnuts
· Cozonac: a sweet bread from Romania, filled with a coffee cream and topped with poppy seeds
· Ciambella Mandorlata: an Italian sweet bread shaped as a donut, coated with sugar and almonds flakes
Eventbrite link to book and find more information
The Culinary Adventures of a Travelling Baker
Born in Naples, Giovanni is the fourth-generation baker in his family, which owns a bakery in Pollena Trocchia in the Vesuvius National Park, near Naples. It was there where he was taught by his grandmother Maria from an early age. After graduating at 18 from the cookery academy of Pollena Trocchia, he started to work full time in his family bakery until he was 22 when he began traveling the world, baking along the way. Now living in England for almost 10 years, Giovanni works as a baking teacher and teaches various categories of courses in different venues across Essex, Suffolk and London.
Bread & Butter Vegan Market
A new vegan market night taking place at the Commons every first Thursday of the month, featuring local vegan vendors, community connections, drinks and street food. Free entry, kid-friendly areas.
In December, we have also teamed up with the Minories and The East Anglian Folklore Centre, with a special late-night opening of the Colchester Art Society Winter Exhibition, and a free screening of Miracle on 34th Street at 5.15pm - All Welcome!
This month's event is part of Creative Colchester’s First Thursdays Festival.
Sunday Morning Chess Sesh
The E2-E4 Chess Club invite you to the Commons Café for a casual play session every Sunday. We welcome all levels, from beginners to Grandmasters! Free, drop-in, no booking required.
If you’re busy on Sundays or just want to practice, there are chess sets available at The Commons, so anyone can play, anytime!
E2-E4 Chess Club’s official club night takes place on Tuesdays: 4.30-9.00 pm at the Colchester Spiritualist Centre, Fennings Chase (off Priory Street) CO1 2QG