Cafe , pub or pop up office?

When I worked in a cafe years ago, I was told to go and 'encourage' people to leave, by clattering their crockery as I cleared it, and wiping the table around them!
It had just been taken over by new management, and they didn't want one person spending 3 hours over a cup of tea.

The management can ask anybody to leave if they want to.
Business people should not be using a table as an office, and the only thing that can be done is to report it, because if more people did so, they may actually do something about it.

It is very bad form on the part of the person using a food business for an office. It's not so bad perhaps before lunch service and later in the afternoon, but the cafe must lose money because of this.
It is infuriating for the real customers who would like lunch and a coffee and would spend some money.
The owners could perhaps ask the non spenders to order a meal, not just a drink, during 11.30 until 2 o'clock.
The ignorant people love the cafes as they are warm, have internet access and a nice atmosphere - gets them out of the house and no expense to them.
I would certainly ask them to move if I owned an eatery, most make their money during lunch time. I think Starbucks Coffee suffered a lot because people would take a table, order one coffee and stay for several hours on the computer etc. Intending customers would not be able to find a seat so business suffered.
One word - Freeloaders!

Bad manners but sadly becoming all to familiar. I'm surprised he was allowed to sit there without even a coffee.

I have been to tourist spots where F&B places inforce the "no drinks without food" rule at peak times. Maybe as has been said, more places should do the same.

I think it's technology taking over.
People do the same on buses and trains, and they're so focused that they don't even think about their surroundings.

TBH I would have asked them if they minded if I join them at their table, as it has a lovely view, and then plonked myself down before they had a chance to say no.
A tray on their paperwork would concentrate their mind and you would be sitting down before you knew it.

Exactly Situpstraight

I'd be annoyed. If I go on my own for a coffee, I always try and take a smaller table, leave the larger ones for a bigger group.

The attitude, "I'll be at least another 1 and half hours", is so rude and entitled. The management should do something, but may only bother if they get complaints. Us British aren't good at complaining.

This Brit is very good at complaining, I too would have sat with him, saying, do hope I don’t spill my coffee over your paperwork, I’m a bit shaky today

nannylovesshopping and then proceed to tell them all about your day!
Love it.

Yes, we were too feeble to make a stand! Listening to a couple of "old dears" setting the world to rights might have put him off his work.

Oh dear! As someone who works from home most of the time I do take up space occasionally in the local cafe although with good old notebook and pen rather than my PC. It helps to have a change of scenery and to people watch and yes, I do buy a drink and no I don't stay for 1.5 hours! If management doesn't want us there s/he should state as much - in the meantime I shall enjoy my occasional outing and if you see me there, please feel free to join me

Completely agree Situpstraight! I hate that kind of proprietorial attitude.

I was coming back from London on an almost-full bus yesterday and there was a businessman sitting in an aisle seat with his belongings on the window seat, effectively reserving both seats for himself. I sometimes deliberately ask to sit in the other seat on principle!

Good for you Humpty

You were probably taken by surprise, Atqui, and had brain freeze! You'll know what to do next time, won't you? Just sit down, order your food, and chat as if he wasn't there!

I personally would just go over and sit there, once I had established that the other seats were free. A prime seat by the window without even enjoying the view because of a laptop, is just plain selfish.

Sorry, perhaps a bit off topic, but reminds me of the Ralph McTell 'Streets of London', anyone remember that?

In the all night cafe At a quarter past eleven,
Same old man is sitting there on his own
Looking at the world
Over the rim of his tea-cup,
Each tea last an hour
Then he wanders home alone

So how can you tell me you're lonely,
And say for you that the sun don't shine?
Let me take you by the hand
and lead you through the streets of London
I'll show you something
to make you change your mind

Absolutely wrong to hog a table as an office, but for those coping with loneliness, do go and talk to them!

Maybe he was waiting for someone and they were going to have lunch.

Ask the staff to find you a seat.

There's a cafe that we used to meet in for lunch but now avoid due to all the tables being taken place by students on their own using laptops. Just one cup in front of them. We (my pal and I) like to have a really good lunch and a glass of something. The cafe certainly lost our business and probably that of many others. Their loss. There's lots of competition in central Edinburgh.

Did you mention it to the proprietor, Jane10 - and other posters? If not then the situation that so many find unattractive will just continue.

This behaviour is on the increase and establishments need to put their foot down as these persons are not there, from what I have observed, to 'spend.'
My own experience of this 'attitude' was when a friend asked me to accompany her and her four year old grandson into town as she was going to let him help her ?chose a present for his mothers birthday. Exhausted phew! we headed for the nearest café for a' extra large coffee and Danish fix' and milkshake for grandson. We counted three tables used as an 'office'.No option, busy café, but to sit at one of these. Good move as it was clear the guy on his laptop did not appreciate a non stop ' chatty' four year old and with a glare aimed at the child slammed it shut and left .

The only staff in the cafe we used to visit are temporary polish girls. All very nice and working hard but with no clout. The owner is known to my DD so I passed on our displeasure to her that way. We haven't been back so don't know if things have changed.
I like the idea of just sitting with one and telling them all about my day or bringing along my 4 year old blether grandson.

Good for you, sara!

Well done from me too Sarah if the staff aren’t capable then we have to sort stuff ourselves