The Melting Pot

The Melting Pot, located at 15 Calton Rd, Edinburgh EH8 8DL, UK, is known as Scotland’s Centre for Social Innovation. It provides an inspiring community and a central Edinburgh hub for people striving to make the world a better place, offering a space to meet, work, and collaborate. The entity has a rating of 4.6 out of 5 based on 76 user reviews and is wheelchair accessible, though it's noted that some meeting rooms may not provide disabled access. Operating hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM, remaining closed on Saturdays and Sundays. The primary contact number is +441315101553, and its website is https://themeltingpotedinburgh.org.uk/. The Melting Pot's core offering is coworking, which allows freelancers, small businesses, and large organisations to share a workspace, ideas, and opportunities. This environment fosters collaboration, community building, independent work, networking, idea-sharing, peer learning, and support. Beyond coworking, they provide venue and room hire, and virtual office services. For flexibility, various membership options are available, from occasional drop-ins to dedicated desks or private office spaces. New members can access special offers, including a 10% discount on their first month (using code NewMem10) or a 50% discount for the first month with a minimum three-month commitment (using code NewMem50). The 'Desk for a Day' service offers a flexible workspace for busy individuals, including a comfortable desk, unlimited tea and coffee, and access to cozy 'Nooks' and seating areas, priced from £30/day or €29/day. The virtual office service provides a central EH8 postal address, a registered business address, a secure delivery point with a helpful team, an 0131 phone number with call forwarding, conferencing, and personalized messaging services, plus a 10% discount on meeting room bookings, starting from £28/month. Private offices are also available. Meeting rooms can be booked hourly (from £45/hour) or daily (from £240/day) and can accommodate 1 to 16 people. These rooms are equipped with amenities such as a 42-inch screen, flipchart, whiteboard, and offer food catering upon request. Hybrid meeting facilities are available with a Meeting Owl add-on for an additional £10 (excluding VAT) per booking, and guests have access to breakout spaces and a kitchen. Tea and coffee are provided for meeting room bookings, with a single serving on arrival and unlimited servings available for £3.50 per person (excluding VAT). In addition to workspace solutions, The Melting Pot hosts a variety of events, with listings updated weekly. These include networking opportunities, social innovation workshops, member events, creative gatherings, and learning and development sessions. They also offer consultancy services, co-creating people and place solutions for organisations by matching them with trusted consultants from their network. Their commitment to social innovation involves finding new and creative ways to solve societal problems and improve lives. Furthermore, they support individuals in turning 'good ideas' into sustainable businesses or projects by helping them develop the necessary skills, know-how, and networks. General facilities and amenities include complimentary coffee & tea, business address services (for virtual offices), high-speed internet and Wi-Fi, breakout spaces, phone booths, bike storage, showers, a kitchen, and printing services (black & white printing is free, color printing costs £0.08 per page). Monitors are available at an extra cost. The premises are pet-friendly, subject to a dog policy. The location is highly advantageous, being a central Edinburgh hub, just a 2-minute walk from Edinburgh Waverley Station and a 7-minute walk from a bus stop. Nearby amenities include Loudons Cafe, Princes Street for shopping, and Calton Hill for scenic views, along with numerous other business amenities. The Melting Pot also features electric vehicle charging points operated by POD Point (UK). There are 15 Type 2 (Socket Only) connections, each providing 7 kW power, operating at Level 2 AC (Single-Phase), 230V, 32A. The usage cost involves a complicated tariff structure, with rates of £0.45/kWh and £0.75/kWh. These are open charge units installed at the St James Square site at Quarter, Edinburgh. Customer reviews praise the friendly and helpful staff, the great space and facilities, the excellent and affordable central location, and the vibrant community. Many highlight the atmosphere of productivity without being corporate, the positive impact on mental health, the opportunities for connections and collaborations, the flexibility of the space, well-designed desk areas, ease of using the booking app, and the creative and inspiring environment. Some feedback mentions uncomfortable chairs and a need for better management of the 2-hour limit on private nooks.