The Melting Pot
Scotland's Centre for Social Innovation – cowork, collaborate, and create positive change in Edinburgh's most inspiring workspace.
Photos
About
If you're walking down Calton Road and spot a large red door right opposite Waverley Station's pickup area, you've found The Melting Pot – Scotland's Centre for Social Innovation and a coworking space that's anything but corporate. Step inside and you'll be greeted by three floors of light-filled spaces, from quiet nooks for deep focus to vibrant collaborative areas with quirky furniture (some of it repurposed from old LRT buses!). The excellent natural light, complimentary coffee and tea, and a genuinely friendly community of freelancers, small businesses and large organisations all working for positive change give it a buzz that's both productive and welcoming. Day passes start at £30, and if you're a first-time member, use code NewMem50 for 50% off your first month with a three-month commitment – just don't forget to book ahead for one of the popular phone booths or meeting rooms.
Facilities
Coworking Space
The Melting Pot is Scotland's Centre for Social Innovation, offering a central Edinburgh coworking hub that brings together an inspiring community of freelancers, small businesses, and large organizations dedicated to making positive change for people and the planet, with a collaborative environment promoting networking, idea-sharing, and peer support.
Work & Study Spaces
High-speed WiFi is available on-site.
The Melting Pot offers a flexible coworking environment with high-speed WiFi, a range of workspaces from quiet pods to collaborative areas, and is located a short walk from Waverley station. It is open weekdays 8:30-5:30 and provides amenities such as coffee, phone booths, and printing. The community is strong and supportive, making it suitable for productive work and study sessions.
Full Description
The Melting Pot is Scotland's Centre for Social Innovation, located at 15 Calton Road, Edinburgh EH8 8DL, in the City Centre locality, United Kingdom. It is a coworking space that brings together freelancers, small businesses, and large organisations dedicated to making positive changes for people and the planet. The space operates from 8:30am to 5:30pm, Monday to Friday, and is closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Access is via a large red door directly opposite the pickup area for Waverley Station; there is no dedicated on-site parking but several public parking facilities are nearby. The nearest transport hub is Edinburgh Waverley railway station. The Melting Pot offers a wide range of services: Coworking membership (from £85/month), Day passes (£30/day), Dedicated desks (from £360/month), Private offices, Virtual office (from £28/month), Meeting room hire (from £45/hour), Events hosting, Consultancy services, and Social innovation programmes through the Good Ideas Centre. New members can use code NewMem10 for 10% off the first month or NewMem50 for 50% off the first month with a minimum 3-month commitment. Meeting rooms can accommodate 1–14 people, with prices ranging from £45/hour (£240/day) for a 10-person room to £85/hour (£475/day) for a 14-person room; a 16-person room is also available at £65/hour (£385/day). Hybrid meeting facilities are available with a Meeting Owl add-on at £10 excl. VAT per booking. Tea and coffee are provided for meeting room bookings – a single serving on arrival, with unlimited servings at £3.50 per person (excl. VAT). Amenities include: High-speed WiFi, Complimentary coffee and tea, Phone booths, Breakout spaces, Bike storage, Showers, Printing (black & white free, colour 8p per page), Monitors available for loan, Hybrid meeting facilities (with Meeting Owl add-on), Kitchen access. The space has excellent natural light, is wheelchair accessible (though some meeting rooms do not provide disabled access), and is dog-friendly subject to policy. There is also a business address service, secure delivery point, an 0131 phone number with call forwarding and conferencing, and a 10% discount on meeting room bookings for virtual office members. The building spans three floors with quiet zones and collaborative areas. The interior features repurposed bus seats from LRT buses, orange sofas, and cosy Nooks. A host desk greets visitors on arrival. Printing is available: black & white free, colour 8p per page. Monitors can be loaned at extra cost. The Melting Pot has a Google rating of 4.6 from 76 reviews. Testimonials highlight the friendly staff, productive atmosphere, community feel, and central location. Some reviews mention uncomfortable chairs and a 2-hour limit on private nooks that is not always enforced. The space also hosts numerous events: networking opportunities, social innovation workshops, member events, creative gatherings, and learning and development sessions. Event listings are updated weekly. Additionally, the site has 15 EV charging points (Type 2, 7kW each, Level 2, AC Single-Phase, 230V, 32A) operated by POD Point (UK), with a complicated tariff structure of £0.45/kWh to £0.75/kWh. The charging unit is located at the St James Square site at Quarter, Edinburgh. The Melting Pot also offers consultancy services, co-creating people and place solutions for organisations, and matches businesses to trusted consultants within its network. The Good Ideas Centre helps turn good ideas into sustainable businesses or projects. The venue is also used for private and corporate events. Nearby points of interest include Edinburgh Waverley Station (2 min walk), Princes Street (shopping), Calton Hill (views), and numerous cafés and restaurants such as Loudons Cafe. The Scotsman Hotel is 4 minutes away, Princes Street Gardens 13 minutes, and Marks & Spencer 3 minutes. Public transportation options are excellent.