Sitting in my cardboard box of a room, with its lone small window, wishing I could block out the glaring slides and too loud echoing speakers of the ominous Gordon Aikman lecture theatre. At my part-time hospitality job, trying to figure out why it is apparently everyone’s first day on earth. Boiling my time at university down to merely these two settings and experiences would be doing it a vast injustice. Without pubs, parks, cafes, societies, art galleries, libraries; the list goes on; the days begin to seem pretty empty, or at the very least antisocial and monotonous.
Sociologist Ray Oldenburg took notice of the correlation between space and community, coining the term ‘third-place’ as somewhere in which “regular, voluntary, informal, and happily anticipated gatherings” can occur, outside of the first and second places of home and work, respectively.
Third places are a physical representation of community, and without these spaces, a community loses its life force. Personally, a major contributor to my decision to study in Edinburgh was the city itself, which wouldn’t have been the case without the incredible public spaces the city has to offer. From the tourist spots I was initially excited about (Victoria Street, Princes Street Gardens, and Uplands Roast), to my local favourites (Greek Artisan Pastries, the Meadows and Peregrine), Edinburgh really has it all when it comes to third spaces.
Speaking to second-year student Belle about why she prioritises third spaces, she highlighted the sense of “achievement” outside of typical university work, such as being involved in a society, or just getting out of the house. Ruby, another second-year student, highlighted her appreciation for the Meadows, as it can suit any group size or purpose: whether reading alone in silence, drinking with your friends, or taking part in a run club, it offers an incredibly versatile third-space. Third places not only help to foster community, but also to further a secure sense of self.
Whilst also existing as a physical place, third spaces are made up of the people within them; social infrastructure. For this reason, they can help us explore the social geography of a place, as third places differ from one country to the next. In Greece, the kafeneio is a coffee shop, in building and function, but has an almost exclusively older, male audience, speaking to who takes up public space in your average Greek village. The classic British third place would have to be the pub, (‘public house!’), which equally says a lot about how much we prioritise alcohol intake in this country.
When it comes to Edinburgh, we are thankfully not at a loss for pubs. There’s no place like The Pear Tree’s beer garden benches (even in the Scottish cold and rain), or Southsider, with its baffling ability to never have any free tables, to build community. Somehow, the things we’d normally consider the weakest points of these places, being busy, cold and smelling of Tennents, is the very glue which forms our university social network. The thing about the third place is that there really is something for everyone; The Brass Monkey for the film buffs, Brauhaus for those who claim to know wine, or Teviot Row House’s Union Social, if you fancy bumping into everyone you’ve ever met.
And of course I’d be lying if I said that all university life in Edinburgh has to offer is places to get smashed in — after all, we need somewhere to go during the day (unless day drinking tickles your fancy, and in that case, to each their own). In terms of cafes around Edinburgh, I’m constantly searching for a new place to get away from the hustle and bustle of George Square and get my laptop out somewhere other than brutalist (keyword brutal) Main Library. Kilimanjaro Coffee on Nicolson Street is a stand out favourite, and its red exterior ensures you won’t miss it. If you’re willing to spend £9 on the most heavenly focaccia sandwiches, then Fettle is the place to be. If you’re looking for a coffee shop open later into the evenings, Books N Cup is your best friend.
Yet, when many third places come with a price tag, this concept of a purposefully inclusive space becomes muddied, nearly contradictory. Even though this is increasingly rare in 2026, third spaces don’t have to be expensive. It can be something as simple as a free art gallery, such as the National Gallery on the Mound.
So, where do you think your third space lies? Personally, I’m writing this article from Teviot’s Gallery Cafe.
Illustration by Freya Krishnadasan Bennett for The Student.
