Can we use public building to stay warm?

[Jobseeker19]

For example can we sit in the library or town hall for hours and use their central heating and charge our devices in their plugs?

I'm wondering if it will come to this if people cannot afford the new energy prices.

Well, yes. People take laptops and work in libraries all day in my town. I'm not sure how they'd feel about you taking an extension lead and charging 2 phones and a kindle though!

I have a neighbour whose mother does this to an extent - she sits in the library and reads most of the day. Not sure about charging devices though.

Yes people used to do this certainly when I was at school in the 80s youd see old people sat with a thermos flask reading all day nobody is gonna come and move them along. However certainly by where I live all the libraries have been shut down

I think people do sadly. Wetherspoons with the free refill hot drinks is a popular option.

I can't imagine people pitching up just to keep warm and charge their household devices.

But libraries do have charge points/sockets for people wanting to work/research etc and use their computer.

I think this will happen. I think however that many public building will also be turning the heat down too - I think it will become increasingly common for public buildings to be at 18/19 degrees rather than higher.

People have always done this. I worked in the main lending library here on my year out between school/uni - now in my 40s - and there was a group of people who would sit and read the newspapers every day.

An issue would be a lot of people sharing a close room to stay warm could spread covid quicker, if a new varient comes along.

Charging devices is a bit iffy.

But spending time in libraries, or spinning out a single cup of coffee somewhere, or hanging around in shops and shopping centres, or going to stuff in community centres or church halls is all very common. There are usually warm places to sit in hospitals too

It's what happened when energy prices shot up in the 1970s - though beck then there was also the option of riding the Circle Line all day.

@Jobseeker19

An issue would be a lot of people sharing a close room to stay warm could spread covid quicker, if a new varient comes along.

People do this all the time - at work!

In France where they have charging points on the public transport you probably could literally just sit on a bus all day and keep your device going

I'm thinking that after work and picking the children up from school I'm going to have to find somewhere to burn time in the winter.

Even Prets monthly subscription seems value for money now.

You can still ride the circle line all day but I think it will cost you £8.90

Whereas you could get on and off buses all day for £1.50
I would totally do that if unemployed and couldn't afford heat

Yes, libraries are open to everyone.

I recently learnt that boiling a kettle is one of the most energy intensive things you can do. I usually take a flask of coffee to work with me. I think I’m going to change that to bringing a flask of hot water home with me each evening

People have always used public buildings for this purpose.

In Scotland lots of older swimming pools are still called 'public baths' because part of their original intention was to enable poor working class folk to have a bath.

Libraries have always provided a warm, dry environment for people.

A lot of them aren't very warm though

Going to keep warm absolutely heating is on anyway, people may even find a new love for these thing which means they hopefully won’t close.
But don’t use businesses and add extra charges onto their bills, everyone is struggling and businesses pay higher rates for utilities also.

Sure. I was doing this 10 years ago w kids to keep our heating bills down. Wasnt the only one either, parents of young children and the elderly alike. Warmth, entertainment company in one. Libraries are an important community resource in ways that arent just about books.

@LaurieFairyCake

You can still ride the circle line all day but I think it will cost you £8.90

Whereas you could get on and off buses all day for £1.50
I would totally do that if unemployed and couldn't afford heat

No you can't, as it is no longer a circle!

You can still ride around on any tube line, but it will always come to an end and turn back, rather than just going round and round

Yes people do this now. They read /take a laptop. Local library has desks with high sides for privacy. A circle cut into six. I know someone who has struggled to find work due to mental health. She has a cheap membership for the gym at the community campus also home to the library. Workout, shower then off to the library and does surveys/ micro tasks online. Takes a flask of soup and one of coffee.

It means she doesn’t need to put the heating on as much, she has cancelled phone and broadband. Also it feels social just being with people, saying hello to librarian etc. It’s a shame so many local libraries have closed. Our have been incorporated into schools with stuff like local housing office working out of there part time.

Our library is only open three days a week, and one of them is a half day. But at least we still have it, the council have just announced they're shutting three more.

The council office itself closed during lockdown and is now up for rent.

The Glasgow underground is a circle

@shouldistop

The Glasgow underground is a circle

I only learnt that there is an underground in Scotland the other week- seriously had no idea

@TheHoleNineYards

I recently learnt that boiling a kettle is one of the most energy intensive things you can do. I usually take a flask of coffee to work with me. I think I’m going to change that to bringing a flask of hot water home with me each evening

What? It costs about 2.5p to boil a kettle. If this goes up to, say 3.75p you plan to bring home flasks of hot water from your office to save money?