People working on laptops in cafes 😡

Its difficult.If people buy tea coffee etc..you cant throw them out ...

Graphite

Who says? Are they for book groups? Knitting groups? Mother and baby groups? Business meetings? Job interviews? All go on at my local Neros. They are just a place to do whatever people want to do and drink coffee at the same time.

So what if I do want to work there? I order coffees. I order lunch if I’m there at midday. I’m a customer like anybody else.

The average high street is likely to have dozens of cafes. Cafes here vastly outnumber all the vape, barber and nail shops put together. Cafes want the business.

I agree

Pix5, no one has said it should 'revolve around us' but it should not revolve around these seathogging laptop workers etc either- people have 'a right to sit' as you put, for as long as it takes them to have their refreshments- anyone whom 'just bought another coffee or water' after being told about this problem should be asked to leave- i know if i were working there thats what i would tell them.To leave.If a lot of these people are working from home folk,then thats exactly where they should be,at their home.

Fallingstar

Jeez am fairly new to this site and is something else to see how posters get stuck into a poster and then just carry on getting stuck in.
Am sorry I posted the blooming thing now.

No, never ever be sorry. You raised a valid point, we responded, some agreed with you, some didn’t.

Most of us are pretty agreeable folks and like a good debate (argument) but the majority of us are quite laid back.

Please don’t be upset or offended and do continue to post.

Hope you’re ok

Cafés with permits for computer usage ..

This is brilliant and many are repeat clients of the café who need a place to do their research, journalism features, homework amongst other computer reports or actividades.

Many are students ( university level ) or freelance reporters whom need a place to work ..

They cover their breakfasts / lunches or snacks ..

This is an exceptional service.

But why, Nannan? Why is there a 'should'? Can't people be able to adapt?

We are always hearing about how people WFH has impacted on coffee shops and sandwich bars in cities - why impose that impact on small towns, or other areas too?

Graphite- Just cause you buy a few coffees and (perhaps) a lunch doesnt mean you have a monopoly on being there all day,and hogging the comfyiest seating which would be better for elderly or disabled people,or pregnant mums etc. You could at least pick the normal tables & chairs.

Nannan2

Pix5, no one has said it should 'revolve around us' but it should not revolve around these seathogging laptop workers etc either- people have 'a right to sit' as you put, for as long as it takes them to have their refreshments- anyone whom 'just bought another coffee or water' after being told about this problem should be asked to leave- i know if i were working there thats what i would tell them.To leave.If a lot of these people are working from home folk,then thats exactly where they should be,at their home.

Sorry, just don’t agree.

They may not just be wfh paye workers, they might be students, they might be free lance, they could be applying for jobs!

We all have the right, for want of a better phrase, to sit in a cafe, reading a book, on our phones, using a tablet or laptop.

It’s perfectly ok to ask to share a table, especially if it’s one person using a nice comfy table for four. But at no point would I condone or support the staff asking anyone to leave unless they hadn’t purchased anything or were being disruptive or aggressive.

Nannan2

Graphite- Just cause you buy a few coffees and (perhaps) a lunch doesnt mean you have a monopoly on being there all day,and hogging the comfyiest seating which would be better for elderly or disabled people,or pregnant mums etc. You could at least pick the normal tables & chairs.

Bah humbug 🤣🤣🤣🤣

But cafés are NOT places of work.Yeah if theyre having an hours lunch break then leaving,fair enough, but maybe now these seat- hoggers are taking advantage of the fact that cafés are needing the custom, needing the revenue,due to so many tax hikes,rents etc.

As a coffee shop owner and one which served food, I can speak from experience.
When you’re running a very busy establishment and a laptop user comes in and takes over a table for 4 and proceeds to stay there for 2-4hrs, with maybe a couple of purchases during that time, it is extremely frustrating for the owner as they are potentially losing business and customers walk out as they cannot find a table.
When you think how many times that table could be used during a 2-4hr period and the likely spend from breakfasts through to lunch and afternoon teas, the losses can be quite high.
On a couple of occasions we had someone use our coffee shop to hold interviews! The ‘applicants’ didn't purchase anything and the interviewer, a couple of coffees. A blatant disregard for what a coffee shop should be used for.
Another couple came in, both on their laptops, which were plugged in to charge and alongside their phones and a satnav (Im going back a few years now). They stayed around 4 hrs, had breakfast, a couple of coffees and took up a large table.
Staff enquired if they’d like anything else, whilst they sat there with empty cups. No, they were quite happy, using our space, heating, facilities, oblivious to us needing the table as people wanted to eat.
So, I took great delight in switching off the wi-fi. The lady came shrieking round the corner that the wifi had gone off and she was charging her satnav!!
I just smiled and said. “Yes, that does happen sometimes”.

They packed up and left.

So my thoughts are, an hour is OK with coffee/food. Anything over with no purchase is taking a liberty.

The Coffice:

Coworking itself is a relatively new phenomenon, and in the past, freelancers, remote workers or simply employees wanting to get out of the office have resorted to working from a cafe or coffee shop in search of good coffee and free WiFi. Whilst cheap and relatively flexible, the “coffice” can be a hindrance for business owners and employees. Conducting business meetings, taking important calls or simply meeting with colleagues can be difficult in coffee shops as there’s no guarantee of table space, it’s often noisy and the WiFi can be intermittent. Even the coffee can sometimes be sub-par!

www.scanomat.com/uk/articles/coffee-coworking-fuelling-the-next-gen-workspace/

'Wellbeing' is a buzz word too, but never mind the wellbeing of an elderly, disabled man who just needed to get out and find a comfy seat to drink his tea.

Robin202 very interesting post from the point of view of a coffee shop owner.

😂 re the Wifi!

Cossy

Nannan2

Graphite- Just cause you buy a few coffees and (perhaps) a lunch doesnt mean you have a monopoly on being there all day,and hogging the comfyiest seating which would be better for elderly or disabled people,or pregnant mums etc. You could at least pick the normal tables & chairs.

Bah humbug 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Actually, how does one work on a laptop sitting in a comfortable armchair?

The students can do all those things in the Uni,or college,or public library.The freelancers can go home or wherever they're staying,or public library.The job appliers can go public library,job centre plus,or home if they have one.And the bookreaders,well definitely the LIBRARY! All the those reading, on phones,laptops,tablets etc can do all that at home,or in the public library.You dont even have to be a member.You're just making yourelf look silly now cossy,making excuses for folk who are free loading on genuine business premises; and those too selfish to notice that others more needing of those comfy seats are being denied them,because of them.

I agree with Dodledog. They have every right to be there ifthey are buying tea,coffee,food..whatever. I understand what you are saying and sympathize with your situation. Good suggestion phone them ahead of you going and see if you can reserve a table fir an hour or two

Good to hear your take on things Robin202, and it chimes with a member of staff we talked to in a cafe yesterday.
Am not against people using a coffee shop to work but there has to be a limit, especially if they are sitting at a table for four etc.
am afraid I come across as a being unreasonable but have posted a little while back on the thread saying exactly what you are saying.

Thanks Cossy. I’m fine. Was just a bit perplexed at those who took my post personally and responded unkindly.

We belong to David Lloyd Leisure Club and have a similar issue. Rather than a relaxing club room it feels more like an office and the best tables are hogged by people working . I just wonder how secure the stuff on their screens is when they are working in a public place? I could easily take a quick pic of their screens if I had a mind to.

I think more people should complain about people staying all day & ordering 1coffee ~ it’s such a stupid British thing to accept this & say nothing 😡

Robin202- Hearhear👏👏👏thats exactly what i mean, the staff are so busy, and might not notice for a couple of hours that these folk are still sat there taking advantage.And are they really so self- absorbed or selfish, that they dont get the (barely) hidden message when staff pointedly ask them if they "need anything else"? Still just sitting there is blatantly rude.Maybe more of the owners or managers should turn off the wifi 😁 Or start putting up signs which ban computer work etc,or at least only allow an hour per table.Many's the time we have wanted(as a family) to sit& have lunch & coffees,but there is no free seats at all, let alone comfy chairs/sofas.so we had to turn round & go elsewhere,or home.Even saw four folk having a business meeting in a macdonalds other day!(we are a bit rural,so the newish Macdonalds is a bit posher than most) but never thought i'd see business meetings in one.(&no, they were not working for MacD's)

Allira- yes i wondered that too, its not recommened is it,for posture? But yet still they do it.

Nannan2

Allira- yes i wondered that too, its not recommened is it,for posture? But yet still they do it.

They may be called laptops but should not be used directly on a lap.

Fallingstar

Thanks Cossy. I’m fine. Was just a bit perplexed at those who took my post personally and responded unkindly.

That isnt what happened imo.

What happened is people who do this don't like being challenged about it. They've rationalised their behaviour as normal and acceptable and "things must change with the times" in their own head - and can't/won't see it from other peoples viewpoint - because they don't want to see it that way.

It's very common in many contexts for people not to "put themselves in someone else's shoes" and it's because they don't want to that they don't so. It doesn't suit them to see the other viewpoint - and so they don't. Happens in a lot of circumstances......not just this one.

I think members of staff, unless they are management/owners might feel unhappy please loving people on when they have been sitting for hours using their laptop and only purchased a coffee or two. That is understandable. Maybe cafe policy could be that lap top users can stay for 1/2 hours but have to purchase a card upon entry to the cafe which they pay for, which includes in the price a couple of coffees and a cake etc.
The proviso bring they sit in a dedicated area for laptop users.
Just a thought.