Old Library Eastville

Name: Old Library Eastville
Address: Muller Rd, Eastville, Bristol, BS5 6XP, GB

Bristol

Courtesy of Old Library Eastville

WHERE

Bristol

What it’s like

A community café with board games, a play area and forest school sessions, tucked into an old library building in Eastville.

This is Basil's Community Cafe running out of the old library building, and it's a proper mixed bag in the best way. There's a German playgroup, a forest school session, a play area and a stack of board games, so a morning here could go any number of directions depending on who's turned up that day. It's only open Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3pm, and only in term time, so this isn't a school holiday option or a Tuesday plan.

The café side does hot food, drinks, snacks and cakes, which makes it easy to turn a games session into most of a morning without needing to go anywhere else. There's outdoor play too, which helps if you've got a toddler who won't sit still for Scrabble.

One thing to flag: there's just the one toilet, and it's unisex with no accessible toilet yet. If that matters to you, it's worth knowing before you set off rather than finding out when you get there.

Outside of the public café hours, the whole space is available to hire, including for birthday parties, and they'll open up and lock up for you. There's no projector on site if that's part of your party plan, so bring your own entertainment for that bit.

Facilities

Birthday parties

Café

Outdoor play

Party rooms

Toilets

Wi-Fi

Need to know

Food: Basil's Community Cafe serves hot food, drinks, snacks and cakes

Only open Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3pm, term time only
Outside café hours the space hires out for parties and family events
Build half an hour either side of a party booking for setting up and clearing away
No projector on site, so sort your own if you need one for a party

Plan your visit

When is the café open to just turn up?

Monday, Thursday and Friday, 9am to 3pm, but only during term time. It closes over school holidays.

What can the kids actually do there?

There's a play area, board games, a forest school session and a German playgroup. What's on can vary by day.

Is there food?

Basil's Community Cafe does hot food, drinks, snacks and cakes.

Can we book it for a birthday party?

Yes, the Old Library hires out for birthday parties and other family gatherings outside the public café hours. A volunteer opens up and locks up for your booking.