A popular coffee shop chain has divided opinion after announcing it’s banning a very common customer habit at some of its stores during some of its busiest days of the week
A coffee shop chain has sparked debate after banning a common customer practice – the use of laptops and tablets.
High streets across the UK are filled with coffee shops, from quirky independent spots to more established chains. Whatever your preference, there are certain types of customers we all expect to see when we step inside our favourite venue.
There’ll be friends catching up, workers taking a break, shoppers looking for a caffeine boost, and usually, a varied blend of people working on their laptops or tablets.
Whether it’s students tackling assignments, budding authors penning the next Sunday Times bestseller, business people analysing data; it seems most coffee shops serve as a temporary “office” for many. But one coffee shop is keen to put an end to this – on certain days of the week, at least.
Black Sheep Coffee, a British coffee chain with locations across the UK and beyond, is living up to its name by breaking away from the norm with its controversial move. A sign in the window of one of its outlets featured an illustration of a laptop in a red circle with a line through it, indicating a ban.
Below the image, a statement reads: “No laptop/no tablet/no study from Friday 12pm to Sunday 7pm.
“Owing to majority of customers complaining about unavailability of tables and chairs during weekends, we have introduced a no laptop/no tablet/no study policy from Friday 12pm to Sunday 7pm. Our trial last weekend was a big success, and we thank you in advance for your continued support.”
The café has stirred up quite the debate after implementing its no-tech policy during peak hours in a bid to free up space. When the sign’s image hit social media platform Threads, users didn’t hold back their opinions.
One said: “I think people need to rediscover libraries for work/study”. Another said: “This place sells alcohol and is very busy at weekends. Problem is, people can’t come in for a drink and a sit down because someone who bought one coffee has set up an office in a booth designed for 6”.
A third suggested a compromise: “Our favorite coffee shop does it by a code. When you buy something, you get a code for two hours of free WiFi. If you stay longer than two hours, you have to make another purchase. I think it is a fair system because students can study but the coffee shop can still make money on drinks. I do not believe someone should just be able to go into a coffee shop, use free wifi all day and not support the business.”
Echoing this sentiment, another added: “Coffee shop is a business. Not a coworking space, not a library.”
Yet, there was also sympathy for students, with one person pointing out: “Where do you want your students to study? There’s no other space for us in a city, especially in the winter. Libraries are packed. And home is not always an option or helpful.”
Another agreed: “How about if you open your book and read? You’re still keeping a table busy… How about families or old folks sitting there for hours with just one coffee? If you want to make it fair on everyone, put timeslots that apply to everyone, not just people using their laptops.”
Black Sheep Coffee has been contacted for a statement.
