Common Ground Colchester

13/08/2026

Today's lunch featuring 🌽

Bennison Farm
Bantu Farm
Crapesfarmshop

13/08/2026

As i'm sure we all know, its going to be a hot one today! 🌞

The team have prepped some good souls bowls for you to come and grab for lunch today & we are stocked up with ice cream 🍦(BBQ corn ribs are on the menu!)

Please be patient with our staff today if service is a little slower. Our cafe gets very hot and an ice pop break or two will be encouraged for our team!

12/08/2026

Summer good souls bowls with veg from Bennison Farm

& bread from Blom Bakery ready for collection! We have a few rye loaves left up for grabs 🏃‍♂️

11/08/2026

We've been looking behind the coffee machine, under the cakes, in the kitchen where the Mediterranean vegetables are roasted, in the garden under the shady trees and next to the fridge with the local apple juice and cold beers.... but no Banksy (yet)! And yes, we did download the app at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.loqiva.colchester and then clicked Tours..... Regroup with another cappuccino tomorrow? 😅

Our Street Art Trail with InColchester is now go! Take part from 7 August – 6 September.

Discover nine amazing pieces of street art hidden in businesses around the city centre, that will be on show for real in Colchester later this year in the major upcoming exhibition Out of line: Banksy and the art of dissent from 10 October 2026 to 28 February 2027.

Find the highlighted letter in the artists’ names, and put them together to find our secret code word. Email your code word to [email protected] for a chance of winning a family ticket to the exhibition!

Download the InColchester app and find the trail and businesses to visit in ‘Tours’.

07/08/2026

TONIGHT (Friday) @ THE COMMONS

Dj Ritchie is hosting the first ever open deck vinyl night here in the cafe.

This new open deck night is an exciting offshoot designed to give vinyl collectors, enthusiasts, and DJs of all experience levels a chance to step up to the decks. Whether you’re a seasoned selector or a bedroom DJ taking your very first spin in public, this is a supportive, pressure-free space to share the music you love

Come down, support local vinyl culture, meet the collective, and let’s keep the wax spinning. See you at the decks!

06/08/2026

04/08/2026

There will be no bread tomorrow, but we will be taking pre orders for the gorgeous loaves from Blom Bakery for collection next Wednesday 🌞🍞

Choose from


Plain rye 900g £4.25
Pumpkin & Flaxseed Rye 750g £5.50
Table Loaf 1kg £5.25

Drop us a DM to secure yours for next Wednesday!

02/08/2026

A picture from our first birthday party, nearly two years ago. (Thanks Nicky for sharing this one from the archives).
Tonight we said goodbye to our wonderful Marley as he’s on to pastures new.
It’s not really goodbye because he is the heart and soul of The Commons and we know he will be giving us support and sharing his wisdom.
Still, Marley’s daily presence will be much missed. He is a man of many talents, yet always modest. Creative with food, images and words, kind, diplomatic, positive, generous, patient.
Thank you Marley Karazimba for conjuring up the idea of The Commons, and bringing us along with you to create a wonderful community space.

02/08/2026

Phill your boots two! More collage theme (!) Phill recently led a brilliant workshop (results on the walls) and evidently couldn't get enough coffee and curry, so now with your children involved too (break out the paste-proof clothes?)

02/08/2026

Le Weekend en collage? No idea why I come over all Francais when posting here.. maybe a holiday vibe? Anyway, scenes from a lovely weekend at The Commons Cafe: setting up for the Jamaican Independence Day celebration Saturday afternoon; chess session (14 players, including brilliant children) and just chillin this Sunday afternoon.....and Marley. What a cool place, what cool food and drink and we said goodbye and thankyou to Marley for all his work as our chef for many months. But, thank goodness, he will still be coming in to sample someone else's haute (veggie) cuisine. Will it measure up? Big boots......