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.

Reading this from Ireland and it's shocking. We have nothing like this level or poverty here.

If it's of any help to anyone, heated clothes airers are really cheap to run. I leave one on on the upstairs landing and it's enough to heat upstairs comfortably. They cost about €30 to buy but maybe charities local to you might help.

@Zeewest

Husband used to be a bus driver, often had groups of OAPs on the bus for ages, some groups even brought food/drink for a mobile picnic. Some did it for company and some to reduce household bills. That was 5 years ago, with the increase in utility costs I'm sure there are more doing it now.

Yes, we have a free bus that goes on a loop around the local city and people used to go round several times to keep warm in winter. Then they introduced a charge if you stayed on for a whole loop to stop people doing it.

many people are saying this type of thing but missing the point that we are going backwards. My parents are in their mid 70’s, from families with very little and vividly remember their freezing homes from their childhood and are appalled that we appear to be going back to that rather than forwards with things getting even better for those at the bottom. Because let's be honest is isn’t going to be any of the comfortable middle class people who really suffer with this,, it is those at the bottom of the ladder who will be waking up in cold damp ridden houses that they can’t do anything about.

The thing is, from an environmental perspective we will have to go back a bit. I don’t want people to be cold but the attitude some people have had, where they want it to be warm enough inside to wear shorts and t shirts all winter, isn’t going to work long term. The MN classic of washing (and tumble drying) towels are every use and never wearing anything twice needs to go.

The thing is, from an environmental perspective we will have to go back a bit. I don’t want people to be cold but the attitudesomepeople have had, where they want it to be warm enough inside to wear shorts and t shirts all winter, isn’t going to work long term. The MN classic of washing (and tumble drying) towels are every use and never wearing anything twice needs to go.
It would be good if we could change the habits of the middle classes without affecting the poor. I think electricity and gas should be cheap for the first x amount then more expensive like income tax (except for those with disabilities who need more power) but I don't know how you could actually make it work.

@thewhatsit

many people are saying this type of thing but missing the point that we are going backwards. My parents are in their mid 70’s, from families with very little and vividly remember their freezing homes from their childhood and are appalled that we appear to be going back to that rather than forwards with things getting even better for those at the bottom. Because let's be honest is isn’t going to be any of the comfortable middle class people who really suffer with this,, it is those at the bottom of the ladder who will be waking up in cold damp ridden houses that they can’t do anything about.

The thing is, from an environmental perspective we will have to go back a bit. I don’t want people to be cold but the attitude some people have had, where they want it to be warm enough inside to wear shorts and t shirts all winter, isn’t going to work long term. The MN classic of washing (and tumble drying) towels are every use and never wearing anything twice needs to go.

I agree re the environmental factors but the people who are going be suffering here aren’t people wanting to be able to swan about in shorts when it’s snowing outside or those washing everything after one use. If you can afford that then you can likely afford to cut down a bit or take the hit. The most wasteful when it comes to environmental issues are usually the ones who can afford to heat their houses that warm and wash things that often. It’s the people who are already only just managing who are already doing those things due to necessity. Who will already use very small amounts of heating and will now be frightened to put it on more because they can’t really cut down.

@Svara that's actually a very good idea.

I don’t see why not.

I don’t see why not.

131 posts in!

@NatashaBedwouldbenice

I don’t see why not.

131 posts in!

Oh dear is there some faux pas

I haven’t rtft what’s wrong with using the library?

@MarshaBradyo

I don’t see why not.

Bet you don't have too.

The UK's slow but inevitable march toward the work and poor houses of yesteryear.

@MarshaBradyo If you need to be told why its very wrong, then i suggest you have no moral compass.

Obvs should have rtft as didn’t expect the angry

I don’t usually put heating on in the day and it can get cold where I work which isn’t insulated at all

I hang out in public places a fair bit (or parks) as have young dc who like doing stuff, so the thought of a library is fairly every day to me

There are scarcely any loos in libraries these days, so they’re less useful for finding books and info and working in than they used to be… we also used to hang out in the library to save on heating.

Much less easy if you struggle with mobility to actually GET to the library then you can only have a short sit and read as there’s no toilet…

If the govt hadn’t wasted so much on useless PPE & test & trace schemes - maybe the goby approach would have been more generous?

@EYProvider

You’d think the UK was the North Pole from some of the comments on here. It’s only really a bit chilly during most winters apart from one or two odd days. Can’t you just put an extra jumper on?

I'm honestly pleased that you've never lived in a constantly unheated home, which often comes with some level of malnourishment. You could either try it for a few years or practice some empathy

Goby - govt

This was always done even in the 1960s when I was a child - you just had to look at the library to see people in there all day for warmth usually older people. They always seemed to be the ones who had taken the daily newspapers to their table and had a best spots at the tables. My twins go to work at our local library sometimes (although in their case not because of lack of warmth) - we are lucky enough to have 3 libraries within a 10 or 20 min walk of the house.

What public libraries??

[quote Alexandra2001]@MarshaBradyo If you need to be told why its very wrong, then i suggest you have no moral compass.[/quote]
Very OTT for some reason.

I’m not adverse to using community spaces for long periods and appreciate them. I live in a strong area wrt community too (even though it’s London)

@Svara

The thing is, from an environmental perspective we will have to go back a bit. I don’t want people to be cold but the attitudesomepeople have had, where they want it to be warm enough inside to wear shorts and t shirts all winter, isn’t going to work long term. The MN classic of washing (and tumble drying) towels are every use and never wearing anything twice needs to go. It would be good if we could change the habits of the middle classes without affecting the poor. I think electricity and gas should be cheap for the first x amount then more expensive like income tax (except for those with disabilities who need more power) but I don't know how you could actually make it work.

That would make a lot of sense and is something I would wholeheartedly support even though I am (whispers) centre-right leaning and not a fan of tax rises in most cases. I think there HAS to be a financial penalty for overusing energy which is a common resource. That penalty should then subsidise those using lower amounts of energy (either because they can’t afford anything else or because they are doing the right thing).

@MajorCarolDanvers

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.

Agreed. Cinemas and pubs were also popular in the past for the same reason.

@littleowls83

What public libraries??

The ones that some local authorities still support. If yours doesnt, maybe consider that when you vote.

Pensioners near me already go & sit in Wetherspoons from when it opens, buy a breakfast & then a coffee they can get topped up for free. Always packed on a Monday for £1.99 a pint day.

people have been doing this for years, i went to the library 2/3 a week as i was an avid reader, there was an elderly man who was always there, it started with hello and then i would sit and chat for an hour, he was there for company, he had lost his wife and just wanted to be among people. i don't know if you can charge your phone but at least it might be warm.

@Bringsexyback

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

They have charging points on bus seats where I live (Yorkshire). Really useful

@Dutch1e - I grew up in the 70’s, I didn’t know anyone with central heating. Most people I knew had a coal fire or a gas fire in one room, which was lit or turned on for a few hours each night. It was fine, I don’t remember being really cold. Everyone just dressed accordingly; no one sat around in pyjamas every day like they seem to on here.

The word ‘empathy’ is overused on Mumsnet, but I can assure you that if I don’t have empathy, I at least have understanding.