Café Scientifique is a place where, for the price of a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, anyone can come to explore the latest ideas in science and technology. Meetings have taken place in cafes, bars, restaurants and even theatres, but always outside a traditional academic context.

Cafe Scientifique is a forum for debating science issues, not a shop window for science. We are committed to promoting public engagement with science and to making science accountable.

In Brampton, our meetings are normally held on the fourth Tuesday of every month, where everyone, over a drink perhaps, can chat about any scientific issue in a friendly and informal setting.

We meet monthly at The Shoulder of Mutton in Brampton - where a friendly welcome awaits. Please see this page for details of the venue. There is no charge for admission, and we do not make a profit - though during the evening we do pass the hat round for donations to defray expenses.

The only qualification needed to join in is an interest in anything scientific or an interest in the scientific approach to questions and issues. Also, at every meeting there is a talk by a leading scientist or engineer. Please see our Events page for details of fast and future talks.

If you would like to attend, please use the (Free) Booking Form link at the top of the page.

If you would like to contribute to our Forum (see the menu on the left), you will need to register first - click on the icon at the head of the page, and fill in the form to obtain a loginid for the site and the forum.

The first Cafes Scientifiques were held in the UK in Leeds in 1998. From there, cafes sprang up in Newcastle, Nottingham and Oxford and then gradually spread throughout the UK. Currently, over 30 cafes meet regularly to hear scientists or writers on science talk about their work and discuss it with diverse audiences. 

We are linked with the national organisation of Cafés Scientifique.   There are similar Cafés in several locations in the British Isles, and, indeed, internationally.    Please see this link for more information.

Comments about Cafés Scientifique:

"Cafe Scientifique is a brilliant idea, wherein people with scientific knowledge and interests are invited to speak to people who are interested, but not necessarily knowledgeable. These events then take place in a bar, cafe or restaurant, specifically not in an academic sort of environment."