New Edinburgh cafe Urban Coffee opens in former Clermiston post office with owner hoping to make people smile

Urban Coffee at 26 Duart Crescent opened for business on Tuesday, September 17, at the former local post office branch, offering customers rolls, teas and coffees, scones and sweet treats.

The sit-in and takeaway cafe is run by Nadeem Anjum, who has run the Home Bakery at Groathill Road North in Drylaw for 20 years.

Inside the recently opened new Urban Coffee cafe in Clermiston. | Submitted

Speaking about this latest venture in Clermiston, Nadeem, who lives locally, said: “I like to serve the local community. I think this area was missing something like this, where people can meet for a cup of tea or something to eat.

“I would like to make people smile, especially older people. I want people to come in and have a wee chat, and come together as a community.

“It’s only been a week so far but we have had people coming back already. Since I opened it’s been good to see people smiling. They appreciate what we are doing here.

“The first week was a good response, it makes me very happy. I feel I have achieved something here already by putting smiles on people’s faces.”

The Urban Coffee cafe at 26 Duart Crescent, which opened on Tuesday, September 17. | Submitted

With the current cost of living crisis in the UK, Nadeem is determined to keep his prices low so more locals can enjoy what he has to offer.

He said: “It’s been better than I thought, I hope that we continue to serve the community more and more and keep our prices reasonable. I don’t think too much about profit, as it’s not an easy time for people.

“I have not done much publicity so far, it’s all been word of mouth. Fingers crossed that in the future I keep providing for the local community. I love to give back.

“I have lived here for a long time and I have thought about opening here for a while. Now I have opened, I’m delighted with the response. We don’t have a sitting area at Home Bakery so this is a bit new, but great so far, just a slightly different experience.

“I want to give local people good food and a good service, at a good price. That’s all I can do. I’m always thinking about prices and how I can keep them low, I will continue to do that.”