We make it our mission to provide a sustainable
social space to support our local community
Our History
Common Ground was founded after our co-founder, Piotr, recognised that Oxford lacked free public spaces where people could get their laptops out, enjoy a good cup of coffee and work without getting chased out because they have their laptop open. He decided, along with his business partner Jake, to open a sustainable social enterprise café in an old bank building which had been disused for several years, serving the very best coffee and offering an adaptable space for Oxford’s local community.
Over time, Common Ground became part of the Oxford social fabric and supported the local arts community by holding regular events such as exhibitions, writing circles, comedy clubs, poetry nights and live music events.
More and more, community organisations are being forced out of their spaces due to rising costs of rent, with landlords prioritising capital return for their investments rather than social value and diversification of use. These closures can be seen across Oxford, with the closure of the East Oxford Community Centre being a prime example. We are striving to lead Oxford’s post-Covid culture bounce-back and become a prominent space for arts and the community.
We have just undergone a significant change of ownership and are in the process of securing a new lease with the University, which will last at least until Summer 2025. With this lease, we have more freedom as a business and more liberties with the space we occupy.
Our People
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Eddie Whittingham
MANAGING DIRECTOR
Eddie is the creative force behind the reimagining of Common Ground. With a background in Interior Architecture, he launched his own design studio in 2020, designing cafés and coworking spaces for Oxford’s most loved institutions, including The Missing Bean and Makespace. He has always had a passion about what it takes to create an atmosphere for meaningful interactions to take place and curating adaptable spaces for local communities to thrive.
After taking on Common Ground in February 2023, his vision for the space is one that will enable creativity and social entrepreneurship. He believes Common Ground is the perfect space for people to feel a sense of belonging, friendship and the power of community and togetherness.
Aside from Common Ground, Eddie is a design tutor and live-project coordinator for the Interior Architecture Department at Oxford Brookes University, focusing on how the student’s design interventions impact the community around them and ensuring that they prioritise social agendas over architectural forms.
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Ruby Newton
CAFÉ MANAGER
Ruby has been working with Common Ground since 2021 and has been managing our café for several months now. As a member of Oxford’s tight-knit canal boat community, Ruby always brings the sunshine into the space and is a constant source of happiness and joy to everyone she comes across in the cafe.
In her downtime she enjoys soaking up the rays by the river and absolutely loves a bit of a boogie!
Next time you visit us be sure to say hello!
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Alex Chesters
BAR AND EVENTS MANAGER
Alex has been with us since 2022 and was recently made our new bar and events manager. In the last few months, thanks to Alex, we’ve pulled off bigger and better events, serving a whole new range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks, from craft beer on draught and cans to kombucha and sodas.
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Piotr Drabik
FOUNDER AND PREVIOUS OWNER
Common Ground wouldn’t exist today without the huge amount of hard work and community engagement that former owner and co-founder of Common Ground, Piotr. He has created a space where people feel warmth and friendship and we hope that we can continue Piotr’s legacy in our new vision for the space.
Piotr is now pursuing a career in mechanics and we wish him all the best!
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Nick Hagan
Nick has long been a lover of all things books and coffee - and was inspired to open a unique bookshop after meeting the Common Ground crew. Curio books and culture will launch this summer, offering visitors an affordable range of inspiring literature and related items.
A mutual love of alternative, multi dimensional spaces led to the idea of the Common Ground Collective. This group of like-minded individuals is dedicated to unlocking Common Ground's potential as a diverse cultural hub, by hosting small businesses, organisations and concepts within the space. This means books, art, events, craft beer, music and much more. We'll have more to share with you about it soon, but for now keep an eye on our downstairs space which is currently under refurbishment!
Visit the Common Ground Cafe
At our café, we believe in creating a warm and inviting atmosphere to you can relax, connect with friends, enjoy our carefully crafted coffee, and grab a bite to eat. We take pride in sourcing the finest ingredients from local suppliers who share our commitment to sustainability.