Lauren
I am a BA English graduate, and a passionate writer and read. I love to explore literary sites around the world, drink inordinate amounts of coffee, and curl up with my kitten, Pepper, while I write.
Posts by Author
- TYF Adventure: A third space between land, sea and self
At the heart of Pembrokeshire’s rugged coastline lies St Davids, a city rich with history, culture, and natural splendour. At this… Read more: TYF Adventure: A third space between land, sea and self - The Cross Keys: a long-standing favourite
A third place that has stood the test of time Nestled in the quiet village of Woolstone, surrounded by houses that… Read more: The Cross Keys: a long-standing favourite - Be At One Birmingham
An inconspicuous doorway Tourists unfamiliar with the city taking their first steps out of the back entrance of Birmingham’s Grand Central… Read more: Be At One Birmingham - Green Bird Cafe: The Prettiest Address in Regency Bath
Green Bird Cafe: The Prettiest Address in Regency Bath Some places linger in your heart long after you’ve left. The first… Read more: Green Bird Cafe: The Prettiest Address in Regency Bath - Astley Book Farm: The Most Magical Place on Earth
Growing up, I was obsessed with literature. While the West Midlands has plenty of literary tourist sites to explore, there were… Read more: Astley Book Farm: The Most Magical Place on Earth - The Dark Arts Potion Bar
A mystical haven located in the heart of Southampton, The Dark Arts Potion Bar attracts curious seekers of the macabre, mystery… Read more: The Dark Arts Potion Bar - Red Hill Coffee: Brewing connection, community and culture
When I was a young teen, my friend James and I worked as paperboys in Peter the Papers in Bryncoch –… Read more: Red Hill Coffee: Brewing connection, community and culture - The Stove Network & Café – Low Profile, Playful Mood, And Home Away From Home!If you walk down Dumfries High Street with time to spare, you won’t just find another café, you’ll discover The Stove… Read more: The Stove Network & Café – Low Profile, Playful Mood, And Home Away From Home!
- Rocksalt – Epsom
Rocksalt, Epsom A Warm Welcome Discovered by Chance I first found Rocksalt while searching for a place to eat with my… Read more: Rocksalt – Epsom - Django’s & The Patch – A Connection in High Wycombe’s Old Town
Django’s & The Patch – A Connection in High Wycombe’s Old Town High Wycombe’s Old Town Hall is one of those… Read more: Django’s & The Patch – A Connection in High Wycombe’s Old Town - Charlie & Ginger
Charlie & Ginger – Epsom A Space I Found by Accident — and Keep Coming Back To I discovered Charlie &… Read more: Charlie & Ginger - Spit & Sawdust: Where skate culture meets community and creativity
Tucked behind an industrial estate on the edge of Cardiff, Spit & Sawdust is more than a skatepark – it’s a… Read more: Spit & Sawdust: Where skate culture meets community and creativity - The Photographer’s Gallery
The Third Place I Needed: How I Found It at The Photographer’s Gallery Finding a Third Place when you work in… Read more: The Photographer’s Gallery - Hikitalo: The sauna by the sea, Porthcawl’s ‘third space’
On the coast of Porthcawl, where sea-salt twists in winds from the lungs of South Wales, stands a handcrafted wooden building… Read more: Hikitalo: The sauna by the sea, Porthcawl’s ‘third space’ - The BookBinder, Liverpool
A neighbourhood pub, wine bar and eatery in the heart of Liverpool’s iconic Lark Lane The bookbinder sits in pride of… Read more: The BookBinder, Liverpool - My Favourite Third Place in the UK: The Old Print Works
If you stroll through the streets of Birmingham’s humdrum, you might run into a rather rare gem, silently nestled away just… Read more: My Favourite Third Place in the UK: The Old Print Works - Wycombe RyeWycombe Rye At times, we all need some space. As the chaos of our world seems to increase year on year,… Read more: Wycombe Rye
- Resetting at 1Rebel
It’s the last day before your long-awaited summer vacation starts. The first one you’ve booked this year and you can almost… Read more: Resetting at 1Rebel - The Social – Bristol
The Social Bar & Café, Stokes Croft: Where Bristol Comes to Breathe In the heart of Stokes Croft, Bristol’s cultural and… Read more: The Social – Bristol - Minchinhampton Common: A Wild and Welcoming Third Space.
Perched high on a Cotswold hilltop, where the winds play across swathes of open grassland and cows roam freely, lies Minchinhampton… Read more: Minchinhampton Common: A Wild and Welcoming Third Space. - From Pits to Pints – Why Coal & Cotton Is Boothstown’s Third Place GemTucked away in the heart of Boothstown, Salford, just off the historic Bridgewater Canal, lies Coal & Cotton – part restaurant,… Read more: From Pits to Pints – Why Coal & Cotton Is Boothstown’s Third Place Gem
- My Favourite Third Place in the UK: The Brudenell Social Club
Tucked away, unassumingly, on Queen’s Road, Leeds, is a building that, from the outside, looks like it could be anything… You… Read more: My Favourite Third Place in the UK: The Brudenell Social Club - Gatehouse Coffee – a gem nestled in the city walls
Gatehouse coffee is truly unlike any other coffee shop in York. Not only is it unbelievably aesthetic with a wide range… Read more: Gatehouse Coffee – a gem nestled in the city walls - The Playhouse – MyThirdPlace
As past and present experiences retranslate memory and place, they form a new and different experience of that place. The way… Read more: The Playhouse – MyThirdPlace - Tanifiki: A local coffee hub with a global vision, in Portobello, Edinburgh
Tanifiki: A local coffee hub with a global vision, in Portobello, Edinburgh When you’re on the edge of a big city… Read more: Tanifiki: A local coffee hub with a global vision, in Portobello, Edinburgh - My Favourite Third Place in the UK – The British Library
A few minutes’ walk from King’s Cross Station in Central London is a place that is quietly changing the way you… Read more: My Favourite Third Place in the UK – The British Library - God’s Own Junkyard, East London
My Third Place – Lauren Stone God’s Own Junkyard What is God’s Own Junkyard? God’s Own Junkyard is hard to describe…… Read more: God’s Own Junkyard, East London - The Black Heart: Camden Town’s Heavy Metal Hotspot
Nestled in a lamplit, brick-walled back alley in the heart of London’s Camden Town, The Black Heart rock pub has been… Read more: The Black Heart: Camden Town’s Heavy Metal Hotspot - Cirencester & The Long Table
In the centre of Cirencester lies a thriving marketplace, surrounded by pastel-coloured townhouses and overlooked by one of the largest churches… Read more: Cirencester & The Long Table - Flat Whites & Freelancing at Ezra & Gil: My Favourite Third Place in ManchesterEzra & Gil: A Mancunian Love Story My love affair with Ezra & Gil, an undisputed hero of Manchester’s coffee scene,… Read more: Flat Whites & Freelancing at Ezra & Gil: My Favourite Third Place in Manchester
- B Box Studio – Community-Led Music Studio based in Shieldfield, Newcastle
B Box Studios in Shieldfield is more than just a music studio for me—it’s a second home. It’s where I meet… Read more: B Box Studio – Community-Led Music Studio based in Shieldfield, Newcastle - The Light – MyThirdPlaceThe Light – MyThirdPlace The Light. Biblical connotations of clarity, salvation and meaning. That might seem a little dramatic for your… Read more: The Light – MyThirdPlace
- Portsmouth’s Coastal Attractions
A lively blend of old and new, Portsmouth’s waterfront brings centuries of naval history together with contemporary facilities. As a local… Read more: Portsmouth’s Coastal Attractions - The Generative Potential of Your Local Coffee ShopIf you were to walk into my neighbourhood coffee shop, you’d see the usual suspects: Mike, the owner of the shop, who… Read more: The Generative Potential of Your Local Coffee Shop
- The Hole in the Wall Pub – Colchester
Opening Hours: Monday: 12:00 – 23:00 Tuesday: 12:00 – 23:00 Wednesday: 12:00 – 23:00 Thursday: 12:00 – 23:00 Friday: 12:00 –… Read more: The Hole in the Wall Pub – Colchester - Colchester Arts Centre
The Colchester Arts Centre Box Office Opening Hours: Monday – 10:00-17:00 Tuesday – 10:00-17:00 Wednesday – 10:00-17:00 Thursday – 10:00-17:00 Friday… Read more: Colchester Arts Centre - Victoria Park: My Third Place – A Personal Haven in Bath
As a resident in Bath for the past three years, Victoria Park has become my cherished third place. Living just a… Read more: Victoria Park: My Third Place – A Personal Haven in Bath - Micro-Moments of Joy in Your Third Place: A Guide for Introverts
If you’ve made your way to the community posts section and are reading this, I probably don’t need to convince you… Read more: Micro-Moments of Joy in Your Third Place: A Guide for Introverts - Libraries on the Line: The Fight to Preserve UK’s Third Places and Community Spaces
When I walked through the doors of Maidenhead library to begin my first day as a ‘Library Assistant’ back in 2015,… Read more: Libraries on the Line: The Fight to Preserve UK’s Third Places and Community Spaces - Men’s Sheds
I’ve recently discovered my local Men’s Shed and it’s quickly become a Third Place I make a point of blocking time… Read more: Men’s Sheds - Velolife: Le Tour de Gâteaux
Cycling is a miserable old sport. Flat tyres, punishing climbs, grazed knees and the unpredictable British weather make you wonder why… Read more: Velolife: Le Tour de Gâteaux - Formula One
Life was great until the day I had been looking forward to for years, which was when my graduation happened. After… Read more: Formula One - Autumn in my favourite third place: Jesmond DeneThe outdoors does wonders for mental health and keeping active. Studies show that spending time outside can reduce stress, anxiety, and… Read more: Autumn in my favourite third place: Jesmond Dene
- Coffee and sweet treats: finding comfort in the coffee (shop)When I visit a new place, whether it’s a trip to a new city, a quick bus ride into the neighbouring… Read more: Coffee and sweet treats: finding comfort in the coffee (shop)
