The Painting Pottery Cafe
BEST FOR
Ages 0-18
ENTRY
from £20
SETTING
Indoors
WHERE
Brighton
What it’s like
Paint a mug, plate or animal figurine and pick it up glazed a couple of weeks later, with wheel throwing for older kids in school holidays.
You sit down with a blank piece of pottery, a studio assistant talks you through the paints and tools, and you spend two hours turning a plain mug or figurine into something that's actually yours. Sessions run three times a day, every day, and the two hours goes quicker than you'd think once glitter glaze gets involved. Most pieces run £20-£30 plus a £5 per person studio fee, so a family of four painting mugs is a proper outing rather than a quick filler, but nobody's rushing you out.
Pottery painting suits any age, though under-12s need an adult next to them and teens need a contactable adult nearby too. The wheel is the bit older kids remember: proper throwing tasters are 12+ normally, but school holidays open up wheel sessions for 8 to 12 year olds, which is worth building a half-term visit around. Baby prints are also on offer on weekdays if you book a note in, non-toxic paint and all, though pushchair space is tight so a sling makes life easier than trying to park a buggy between the tables.
Food-wise it's cold drinks, coffee and homemade cakes, and you're allowed to bring your own drinks with no corkage charged. Parking in Brighton is the usual squeeze, expensive and limited, and the station's a ten-minute walk, so public transport is the easier call if you've got a choice. Your finished piece needs collecting within a month or it gets given away, which is an easy one to forget once the school term picks back up.
Birthdays are a big part of what they do, with packages from £20 up to £40 a head depending on theme and length, most needing a minimum number of painters to get the private space. The wheel-throwing party option is 10+ years only and gets each child two pieces to take home, which for a pottery-mad ten-year-old is the whole party made.
Facilities
Need to know
- Best for
- All ages, though the wheel is only for 8+ and mainly in school holidays
- Booking
- Advance booking essential. Full payment taken for throwing/party packages
- Parking
- Limited, paid parking nearby (NPC and RPC car parks)
- How long to allow
- 2 hours typical for painting sessions
- Food
- Cold drinks, coffee, and homemade cakes
- Pushchairs
- Limited space. Sling or carrier recommended
- Wheelchairs
- Ground floor pottery painting is level access
- Dogs
- And other pets welcome. Mention in booking notes and consider space
- Getting there by bus or train
- Brighton station 10 minutes' walk away
- Parties
- Multiple party packages (6 standard, 3 festive) from £20-£40pp
- Dogs are welcome if you mention it in your booking notes
- You can bring your own drinks, no corkage charged
- Non-painting guests are allowed too, up to two per booking
- WiFi isn't available for customers, so don't rely on it to entertain a bored sibling
- Closed 24-26 December and New Year's Day, open the days in between
Plan your visit
How much does it cost?
Most pieces are £20-£30 plus a £5 per person studio fee, and the average spend works out around £25-£35pp. The full range runs from £13 up to £45 depending on what you pick.
Do we need to book?
Booking's essential, and there's a deposit involved: £10 for small groups, £5pp for six or more, taken off your final bill. Throwing sessions and party packages need full payment a month ahead.
Is it OK for a toddler?
All ages are welcome and under-12s just need an adult sat with them. Baby prints are also possible on weekdays if you mention it when booking, though pushchair space is limited so a carrier's easier than a buggy.
Can kids use the pottery wheel?
Taster throwing is normally 12+, but school holidays open up wheel sessions for 8 to 12 year olds. Weekend taster slots run at 10:30am and 1:30pm.
How long does a visit take?
Painting sessions are two hours. Taster throwing is 45 minutes, and evening classes run three hours but are adults only.
When is our pottery ready?
It gets fired after your session and takes about two weeks to collect. You have a month to pick it up or it may be given away, though posting within the UK is an option for a small fee.
What if we don't finish painting?
You can come back within a month for a continuation session, £5pp off-peak or £10pp at weekends and holidays. Or borrow up to six paints for £5 to finish it at home.
What about food and drink?
There's coffee, cold drinks and homemade cakes, and you're welcome to bring your own drinks with no corkage.
Is there parking?
Parking nearby is limited and paid, so it's genuinely easier to get the train, Brighton station is about ten minutes on foot.
Can we book a birthday party?
There are six standard party packages and three festive ones, running £20-£40 a head, most needing a minimum number of painters for a private space. The wheel-throwing party is 10+ years only and each child gets two pieces to paint.
What's the cancellation policy?
You need to give 48 hours' notice to cancel, reschedule or change numbers for a refund, and deposits are non-refundable inside that window.
Is it wheelchair accessible?
The pottery painting floor is level access and fine for wheelchairs. The throwing wheels are downstairs and not accessible, though private weekday sessions can sometimes bring wheels upstairs instead.
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