Re:Sitting on spare seats at an occupied table in a cafe

[Bahhhhhumbug]

Just asking your thoughts really. DD and I were in a small licensed cafe in a local town during the day recently. It is a bit of a 'lovey' type place with lots of showbiz people etc. without outing where I live. The café is quite cramped with lots of little tables seating no more than four people each and that's at a push really.
It is very popular and DD and I got the last available table (the least popular right in front of the door , so draughty) We then observed several couples standing in the doorway yeah thanks for that looking around to establish there were no empty tables and one older couple on being told by the waiter very apologetically that there were no tables and he didn't know how long and would they like to sit at a table outside (fairly decent day) and have a coffee or something till one became available.
But no they decided to stand there in the doorway and gawp round the room assessing how far on everyone was with their meal/drink, including pointing when someone made any sort of move to go to the toilet or whatever. They seemed to be discussing a lady sat in a corner at a table alone reading a paper whilst having her drink /food and the fact she was sat on her own with 'three empty seats' but then decided against it and left.
They came back again five minutes or so later and did the same causing a draught routine again and were again politely told there were still no tables but insisted on waiting again in the doorway. After a few minutes they went over to the lady in the corner and I heard the man say 'Can we sit here , or are you one of these people funny about sharing a table?' They said this as they were pulling the chairs out obviously going for it whatever her response. I think she was too gobsmacked to say anything tbh but didn't seem happy and left soon after.
My DD and I were both a bit and said we would never intrude on someones quiet time in this way unless it was a long table meant for more than one group and even then would sit at far end. Obviously the water/proprietor didn't want them too as he repeatedly told them 'sorry no tables'. So what do you all think ? We felt it was quiet intrusive and that many people go into a café to have a quiet chill on their own or a private conversation with a friend/family member , not to socialise with strangers (they had proceeded to make small talk with her btw , resulting in her closing her book.)

Which bit dont you get?if there is vacant space,yes id sit there.yes its a share

But Scottishmummy, how would you know that the space that you have decided should be yours isn't actually taken by someone who has gone to the loo, or being saved for friend that the person at the table is waiting for?

I know TimeFor.

In small tables such as this cafe, having a stranger sat right next to you, leaves no sense of personal space at all. That is not relaxing.

All mouth and no trousers - there's no way you'd barge past a waiter who's already told you there are no tables, to go and sit down. You're either lying or have poorer manners than a three year old.

I think scottish is just clutching at straws now.

Youre not entitled to personal space in a busy cafe
Nice
But not a given

Well scottishmummy if you came to my table it's looks like it would be a Mexican standoff. You would be insisting on staying and I would be adamant that you were leaving. I can be very stubborn. Just ask my husband.

I would be pissed off if someone did that to me, but on the other side of the coin if Celia Johnson hadn't sat at Trevor Howard's table there would be no Brief Encounter, so I'm kind of torn.

Thread has moved on,turgid scenario was she has space,doesn't want to share
Tough

I wouldn't mind, as long as I wasn't on an intimate romantic date.

But then I've been refused a spare seat. On a Scottish car ferry. What is the rules on that Scottishmummy? There were a couple in their fifties sitting in a row of 3 seats, the one at the end was free, except from a handbag. It was so busy, there was nowhere else to sit. So I asked if the seat was free. "No", said the woman, "its for my bag".

I was mortified, and slank away.

The proprietor of any establishment can evict a troublesome customer

So be more forthright,less wussy
Her bag didn't have ticket.you did
Rules are you were sold ticket for a seat, her bag wasnt

"You're not entitled to personal space in a cafe".

You are, if the management says you are. Which in this case, they did.

Exactly Evans. They can refuse service to anyone they wish.

Scottish rules would be to sit on her bag i imagine Chelsy and tell the woman 'tough'.

Oops just remembered that it was the other way round - Trevor sat at Celia's table, the space-stealing bastard.

I don't want to go to a cafe with shouty people in.

In chelsy situation,she paid for ticket.the bag didnt
Sit down,if they make a fuss get a steward
And yes tough titty if lady bag was there,she need to shift it

They refused entry jamhats. The couple barged in regardless. You seem to be rewriting the scenario to suit your argument.

Chelsy - then you would have been perfectly entitled to sit on her handbag, as you had already paid your money and it was a public space. Had that lady paid an extra fare for her handbag to occupy a seat? I doubt it. Again, different scenario