Cafes across London are increasingly cracking down on remote workers, sparking a debate about etiquette and the future of laptop-friendly spaces. The shift comes as owners grow frustrated with patrons who occupy tables for hours while spending little, take loud Zoom calls, and disrupt the cafe atmosphere.
Emily Watkins, a freelance writer, argues that while she relies on cafes for a change of scenery, the behaviour of some laptop users has put this privilege at risk. She notes that buying one cup of tea and sitting all day is both bad manners and bad business, and that a sea of laptops can transform a cafe from a community hub into an insufferable co-working space.
To preserve the cafe-laptop ecosystem, Watkins proposes a code of conduct: limit cafe-laptop time to four hours, spending about £5 every two; avoid all Zoom or phone calls; take the smallest table available; do not pester staff for charging points; and never play music out loud. She emphasises that laptop workers should integrate seamlessly into the cafe environment, not dominate it.
The debate highlights a broader tension between the flexibility of remote work and the traditional role of cafes as social spaces. Watkins warns that if laptop users do not follow these rules, they risk being banned entirely, leaving only kitchen tables and co-working spaces—which she describes as full of awful people and unaffordable.
