To think this was an unreasonable bit of table hogging?

[Vycount]

This is probably going to all end in tears.

Anyway, I've just been to a very popular local cafe with a friend and spent about an hour and a half stuffing my face on a brilliant brunch, more coffee, and then some cake. (Katie Hopkins eat yer heart out!).
It's a really busy place, you can't book tables.

When we got there a long table for 8 was occupied by a group of 6 women, some with babies. We were doing that sort of scanning for space thing and hoping someone was about to leave, so I could see that a couple of them had cups in front of them, others didn't. Luckily a space came free behind them so we got in.
They were still there when we left an hour and a half later. In that time they ordered no food or ore drinks drink, but hung on to their couple of cups whenever the staff came to look to clear the table. Meanwhile people were arriving and hovering about trying to find somewhere to sit to eat, asking to share tables etc.
Now on the one hand maybe the serving staff should have asked them if they'd finished and kind of moved them on. But on the other, it just seemed to me they were pretty entitle/rude/pretending to be oblivious. Bit unreasonable to use a cafe as basically a warm place to meet and jiggle babies do you think?

Oh, really?

I did not get that. Oh well

Did the not give it away???

No.

I'll just clarify a couple of things:
I wasn't constantly staring at this table, but they were right in my line of sight as I was at the table next to theirs and facing them. Therefore I can categorically state that they did not order a single thing in all the time I was there. Honestly, their actions (or lack of) stood out so much that I couldn't help noticing.
Nobody was turned away, but a few did a bit of a wander looking for space then left. So the cafe lost business. Others got seated because more considerate people looked up and made space for them to share tables with them.

This cafe is known locally as a really nice place to eat, so it's popular. I'm honestly at a loss to understand how anyone can think it reasonable for any group (Mums and Babies or not) to think it's fine for them to just take up residence, just a as space to occupy for free.

Yes, I do think that if they wanted to spend a few hours nattering in the warm it might have been a better plan and less anti-social to retire to one of their houses. What would be wrong with that?

Sorry but I just can't see the problem with this morning, OP can't know the circumstances, or if it's a regular thing, I'd prefer to give the benefit of the doubt.

Rubbish that happened to your place Cobain is there no way it could have been addressed to prevent closure?

YANBU. I would (and have) gone over to people and asked if they are leaving shortly if they look as though they have finished eating/drinking. Usually get a funny look from them but they always take the hint.

Yabu, if you have babies you can do what the feck you like apparently! They Needed that table far more than anyone else you. Pushing a small person out of your parts gives you extra rights
( sarky in case anyone missed that)

Nikki - the problem is that for at least an hour and a half this cafe lost income because an inconsiderate group of people occupied 8 seats while spending no money. That's the economics of it. The anti-social bit is watching other punters actually wandering about trying to find somewhere to sit, or actually leave the cafe while you do it.#
If nothing else I suppose this thread now clearly demonstrates why we are seeing more of this sort of behaviour. I'm older, but I'm sure it wasn't like this 20 or 30 years ago. People tended to have a bit more social awareness and consideration.

Wow, nickifury you seem to be very annoyed about this thread, I only kept reading to see more of your comments!

Op, no, you are not bu, very annoying for them to have hogged the tables but staff should be able to say something after them sitting there that long without ordering something.

I love it how nickifury can't believe the op has so little going on in her life that she would start this thread but has posted loads on it herself.

Pushing a small person out of your parts gives you extra rights

Can I pinch that? Very good

I would have done exactly what angelos says. I would have asked if they are leaving as I wanted to order a fry up. Either that or I would have got my fry up and perched next to them with it on my lap

Bloody cheek - small businesses struggle enough without a load of women hogging it for hours on end after spending a measly £4.20. What benefit of the doubt is there, Nicki? Can't see one, they were squatting whilst the cafe owner was turning away business!

I'm not annoyed . Where are getting that from?

Are you saying that people who post on MN have no life then ihatethecold? Because I certainly wouldn't think of that parallel. I get a lot out of MN.

Look I will leave you all to have a good old moan about "table hoggers". Unless I saw something like this happening daily I simply wouldn't notice and yes, I do try to give the benefit of the doubt where babies and small children are concerned. Obviously that's just me, but I feel ok about it .

YANBU.

Cheeky cahs. If I was the owner I'd make it food only after noon like a lot of other places. If they do it a lot I'd just ban them.

There are some cafes local to me that get round the hogging of tables with just a cup of coffee by stating that tables can only be occupied between certain times (usually the lunchtime rush) if meals are purchased.

I don't have a lot going on in my life today to be honest, and I'm comfortable in my skin about that. I've just worked 7 days, including the weekend, so think I can have Friday off, go and stuff my face, do a bit of MN'ing and maybe veg out on the sofa and watch a film this afternoon if I so desire.
I think the serving staff were aware of the situation because they tried to clear the cups a couple of times but were thwarted by Mums wrapping their hands around protectively while studiously avoiding eye contact. The servers were quite young as well. I think cafes are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If they don't they lose custom. If they do they might be the next establishment in a Daily Mail article accompanied by a photo of a group of Mums making sad faces (and maybe even breastfeeding!).
Personally I think that we have to take some responsibility for ourselves and that this group of Mums were completely aware of what they were doing and just couldn't give a stuff.

I am also secretly convinced that NikkiF was there.

Yanbs, I regularly meet friends for long chatty lunches, we try and pick places with loads of room and doesn't normally get full up so as we can wait longer, after our lunch is eaten we order teas/coffees to justify our continued stay. However if the place fills up we leave once we've finished eating and had a quick coffee for after. I couldn't justify taking up a table in order to chat when I've received the service I paid for and someone else is wishing to avail of the same service.

p.s. This cafe is busy pretty much from the time it's open. It starts with breakfasts, then the brunches, then lunch, then of course afternoon teas.

if the cafe owner didn't intervene, then it was his/her issue about losing business. If I was a customer keen on eating there I'd have been more pissed off with them than the women.

YANBU. Table hogging is a pet hate of mine, it's so selfish. I do blame the staff also, though, for never saying anything.

Yanbu about the hogging but bint is a horrible, sexist word.

Nicki seems to be taking this thread a bit too seriously...

Yanbu, it was very inconsiderate, and when the cafe ends up having to close down due to lack of profits, I am sure they will be the first to complain! Cafe's need to be selling, they are not a community meeting point - they are a business!

However op - you say you cannot see how you can possibly be being U, so why post here Not meaning to sound rude, but it is so frustrating when people do this!