Fed up with drinking coffee in other people’s offices.

[canyouseemyhousefromhere]

That’s what it feels like lately. I popped in for a coffee in a local coffee shop and was surrounded by four separate people working with laptops, headphones and piles of paperwork talking loudly to ‘clients’ . No food or drink in sight. I have just heard one of them invite 2 people to a meeting in this cafe, he’s busy arranging chairs (carrying them across the cafe) as I type.
I have no particular problem to people working in coffee shops but some are really taking the p now.
They often take the best tables and are now frequently causing a nuisance. I have seen two groups of shoppers change their minds whilst in the queue not sure if it’s because of the office people or just coincidence.
Is there also a confidentiality issue here perhaps? A list with personal information was clearly in view on the table.
Does anyone else feel fed up with this or am I just being a misery? 🤷‍♀️

Seek out 'no laptops' cafes. There's one near me with this rule. Otherwise since Covid this is a very common way to work

That sounds awful. The only work that should be done in coffee shops is quiet computer work, no meetings or calls.

I guess they must be bringing enough business to the coffee places for it to be profitable for them? I can't really see how, though.

Yeah I agree. I went into a Starbucks like this and it was not enjoyable. Worse was someone who’d parked up with his dog, complete with dog blanket and dog bowl. It make me feel slightly queasy. I don’t want to be around that shit in a coffee shop.

Ultimately it’s the fault of management who allow it. They must prefer the custom of insufferable entitled wankers to people just simply doing the old fashioned thing and sitting with a drink.

I'm surprised their employers let them . We issued very clear guidance to employees that they are not allowed to work in public places.
So many risks of breaches of confidentiality

I suppose ultimately it's up to the cafe owner, and they may be happy to accommodate remote workers if they feel they buy enough coffee. But yes, I agree it can be really annoying and I do think there is definitely a confidentiality issue with certain jobs being done that way. I once sat next to a solicitor who loudly discussed her client's divorce case including who had/hadn't been having an affair and what money they had in the bank etc - you'd think a lawyer would know better. My own employer won't let us conduct calls and meetings from public places and we're all issued with privacy screens that clip over our monitors so the person next to you can't what you're typing.

I find that independent coffee shops are much better at either not allowing people to work on laptops at all, or having certain tables designated as laptop-free zones. Whereas a Starbucks, Costa etc are more likely to let people work all day.

It’s something cafes need to manage, surprised they are letting it happen to the extent that you describe

Coffee shops are community spaces. Places to study, work, meet friends, escape. Whatever the community needs them to be. Take away coffee is a great option if you’re looking for a space that’s less sociable. You could take it to a park, and sit on a bench.

These coffee shops wouldn’t exist if they didn’t provide such space for people. And in the absence of local libraries these days, where else are people to go.

You’re a misery! It keeps the cafes open

Dunno what the difference is between people talking on a call or people talking to each other or to their kids?

as long as they aren’t asking you to hush or expecting a library like atmosphere, then I can’t see the difference

I've had enough of being expected to work in my office surrounded by these types in their important meetings without having to put up with them at leisure too.

All comes down to what the coffee shop will allow I suppose. If enough people vote with their feet and go elsewhere they will have to look at which option makes them more money.

All train carriages with men, it’s always a man in my experience, talking loudly about things that should be confidential. People don’t seem to value privacy anymore. Remember hiding away with the phone as a teenager? Now the call is broadcast to the entire bus or shop or train or café on speakerphone.

They’re often the bread and butter of a coffee shop’s weekday custom: after the early morning rush of commuters, post-school run parents, and pensioners who’ll come in for elevenses, many will be very quiet all afternoon. Most of it is surely tuneable out: three people meeting to talk about work isn’t manifestly different to three friends meeting to catch up.

Coffee shops aren’t community spaces so much as businesses trying to sell refreshments.

All kinds of customers might be prioritised. It depends who is actually buying coffee and snacks.

*I once sat next to a solicitor who loudly discussed her client's divorce case including who had/hadn't been having an affair and what money they had in the bank etc - you'd think a lawyer would know better.

Next time lean over & say ‘Oh, that’s my neighbour you’re talking about. I must let her know I met you.’

Even if they’re not buying anything?

@ComtesseDeSpair They we’re all on headphones so they were talking much more loudly than a group of friends chatting.

Wtf. Coffee shops aren't community spaces any more than than your local Spar shop is. Try rocking up there with your laptop! In case you didn't realise, coffee shop/restaurant owners are in it for the money and their premises are privately owned, by them. Yes, some might engage with community projects if they feel so inclined but individuals working in the corporate sector on their laptops are not charitable causes. Does your boss consider your place of work a community space open to anyone?

We run an independent cafe (mainly food-led) and have this issue all the time. We got a huge backlash when we did outright ban them. we’ve allowed them back Mon-Fri.

But on bank holiday we had an entire floor of laptops (students working for hours over one coffee) and then we struggle to accommodate parties for food - which actually helps pay the bills unlike 1 drink (coffee is much more expensive wholesale now).
But people get affronted when asked to release the table or told there is policy is in place.

I think it’s fairly ok to use your laptop in a quiet place for up to hour but people using a cafe for hours like their personal office is not great at all.

There was once an incredibly irritating bloke doing this on my train. He was also trying to make eye contact with everyone in the carriage just so he could be assured that they'd heard how incredibly important he was.

As I was queueing to get off the train, I told him that I'd reported him to his employer and to the Information Commissioners Office for a serious data breach. He went grey It was hilarious. I hadn't but hopefully he thought twice about doing it in future.

I imagine a lot of them must be self-employed or working for firms with zero office space. So no consequences there.

If they don't like WFH they should go back to the office not sit for hours where the coffee shop owner is trying to make a living. It's hypocritical and you can't have it both ways.

YANBU. I have worked quietly in a coffee shop a handful of times, for a couple of hours. My work would frown upon taking any client calls or having meetings in a public place like that. I suspect most employers would.

I have overheard some surprisingly sensitive information in coffee shops before. The worst one was someone calling the courts and providing their client's name, D.O.B etc down the phone.

You're my hero

Why would you worry about a backlash if you can fill the tables with customers if they weren’t there? Why wouldn’t you ask individuals to leave if they are there and not buying anything? What a strange way to run a business.