Laptop Squatters (especially Cafe Nero in Lordship Lane)

[DulwichFox]

Loz Wrote:

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> Actually, Foxy, it's damn useful on the train to

> Leeds, when you only get 15 mins free and the trip

> is over 2 hours.

>

> There are a couple more gotchas. Cookies can get

> in the way as well.

Do they have Wi-Fi in Leeds.. ? lol

Foxy

[Loz]

DulwichFox Wrote:

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> Do they have Wi-Fi in Leeds.. ? lol

>

> Foxy

Of course. Though it is steam powered.

[ianc]

Yes, easy to change MAC address (I'm a tech geek)... but I'm sure they could make free wifi hogging harder if they wanted, so I suspect they know it makes them money in the long run. Not so pleasant if you're trying to find a seat, but there's usually a spare one, if you're willing to ask.

[DulwichFox]

Not one for Caf? coffee as I live around the corner but have contemplated going into

Caffe Nero only to find there are no seats available due to the so called 'Laptop Squatters'

DulwichFox

[se22cat]

Peckham Library has free wi-fi, albeit sluggish. You have to get there early or be rather lucky to find a table (especially the much coveted window places) but I find that a very pleasant space to write in. And of course, they have a fabulous range of books you can pick up at the same time.

[JohnL]

lpool Wrote:

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> Sat in Cafe Nero and the place is almost empty.

> Looks like original poster has scared away the

> squatters.

There's a strange rhythm to coffee shops - all

the ones near work were empty too :)

[Beej]

As if they really need anymore advertising, can we please stop mentioning cafe Nero? Doh! might as well drink coffee in McDonalds.. eeuughhh

Not that I'm ageist or anything but seriously, you need to get down with the kids. Working from home is sooooooo last season. Shed loads of cafes & coffee shops open entirely for the purposes of capitalising on people looking for non traditional work spaces. Even Starbucks (the devil) up the road, has power sockets for laptops under almost all of its tables. They're calling it the workshop/workspace and it's all the rage in the east end - look, you can even get your bike fixed while you're working at this one... http://blog.wbc.co.uk/2014/02/the-popup-workshop-workspace-cafe-phenomenon/ Good on any independent coffee shop that plays catch up, rather give you my business than the devils....

[bobbsy]

Especially rather than Cafe Nero (ok one more plug) who does the whole UK tax avoidance/transfer price out of the UK thing (apparently)...

[Otta]

Beej Wrote:

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> Doh! might as

> well drink coffee in McDonalds.. eeuughhh

I hate coffee so can't comment, but my missus has always said that the coffee from Maccas is surprisingly good.

[Beej]

I'm sure it's very nice but, IT'S MCDONALDS!!!!!!!! btw Did you know it's called McDavid's in Jerusalem #uselesstrivia

[Jeremy]

I would agree that sitting in a McD's is rarely a relaxing or pleasant experience, but if you just want to grab a quick coffee to takeaway (and maybe a couple of big macs and an apple pie while you're there!) I don't see the problem.

[Otta]

Steve McManaman's name is Steven McManaman, didn't stop everyone from calling him Macca. See also Paul McCartney.

[Jeremy]

What are you talking about?

[Otta]

Beej didn't like my use of "Maccas".

[Jeremy]

I thought "IT'S MCDONALDS" was supposed to indicate that McD's is generally crap and you shouldn't go in there even if the coffee is OK.

[Loz]

Beej Wrote:

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> I'm sure it's very nice but, IT'S MCDONALDS!!!!!!!!

So, you'd rather go somewhere else that may have less nice coffee, just because it's a McDs? #pretentious

> btw Did you know it's called McDavid's in Jerusalem #uselesstrivia

There is a McDavids, but it's a different fast food company. There are proper McDonalds in Jerusalem/Israel also.

[keano77]

oh dear it appears laptop squatters have taken over the British Library

Senior academics have complained that they are unable to find space to work on rare books because the library is overcrowded with students attracted by the free wi-fi.

Yesterday many students could be seen at the library with Facebook, Instagram and Twitter showing on their laptop screens. Others were watching YouTube videos.

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/education/article4454509.ece

[Chief]

The problem is spreading across London as laptop squatters colonise the British Library.

Similar to the curse of urban foxes colonising the streets and gardens of East Dulwich?

[JohnL]

Seems like the US is ahead of us in this.

they're turning off power and making laptop free tables.

[DulwichFox]

Caffe Nero has purposely gone out of its way to provide Cloud based Wi-Fi in 450 of its outlets.

First launched 2011 ?

It's not going to go away.

DulwichFox

[Mick Mac]

JohnL Wrote:

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> Seems like the US is ahead of us in this.

>

> they're turning off power and making laptop free

> tables.

Good idea.

[ianc]

I suspect it's a wider issue than wifi and laptops. At some of the larger Pret & Starbucks in town, there are often large groups of students or (what seem to be) network marketers. Barely a purchased drink or product between them, and none of them on laptops. They just use these venues as places to socialise, or to hold meetings and presentations. Pret kind of encourages this by having cavernous venues (like the one off Hanover Square) with great sofas, and some alcoves that are perfect for groups. Amusingly, their wifi doesn't reach the far extremes of these venues, as I've told them several times.

So maybe it's more of an issue that we're being encouraged to use these venues for more than drinking coffee or consuming food purchased there. They are becoming the non-alcoholic equivalent of pubs.

[Jah Lush]

ianc Wrote:

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> They are becoming the non-alcoholic equivalent of pubs.

I bloody hope not. Perish the thought. You're way off the mark there. What a dystopian nightmare! Pubs are, or certainly should be, the social hub of the community and are for imbibing and generally having fun, not 'working' in, taking up space from drinkers and merry makers alike.

[Dulwichdarling]

I think maybe this is a pointless thread

And possibly a pointless comment from myself

But I'm really bored

So wanted to write something

[ianc]

I think you're right, Dulwichdarling. It's a thread railing against the reality of something that already happened, and is driven by the commercial venues many of us would like to find a seat to drink our coffee in, but sometimes can't.

I expect it's natural to dislike some of these changes. How much that does to change them in our favour... well, that's more a philosophical question, than a useful debate on here.

As I've often said about certain topics on here, asking people in-person to move / vacate / free up a seat probably does more than any debate on here. There won't somehow be a consensus that laptop squatters are bad, and a sudden move by them to change their behaviour after someone shows them this thread ;-)