On the right side of the entrance at "The Elephant House" café on 21 George IV Bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland is a metal plaque commemorating J.K. Rowling, Ian Rankin, Alexander McCall-Smith and other writers, who spent their time in this café writing their books. The inscription reads:
Made famous as the place of inspiration to writers such as J.K. Rowling, who sat writing much of her early novels in the back room overlooking Edinburgh Castle.
Ian Rankin, author of the Rebus novels, and Alexander McCall-Smith have both also frequented The Elephant House as well as many other writers.
According to Wikipedia J.K. Rowling "wrote in many cafés, especially Nicolson's Café (owned by her brother-in-law), and the Elephant House, wherever she could get Jessica (her daughter) to fall asleep. In a 2001 BBC interview, Rowling denied the rumour that she wrote in local cafés to escape from her unheated flat, pointing out that it had heating. One of the reasons she wrote in cafés was that taking her baby out for a walk was the best way to make her fall asleep".