European cafes are increasingly banning the practice of 'coworking,' where individuals use cafes as makeshift offices by working on their laptops for extended periods and taking up space. This trend is driven by the desire to preserve cafes as spaces for relaxation and socializing rather than work. The move has sparked a debate, with some supporting the bans to prevent cafes from turning into quasi workplaces, while others argue for the freedom to choose their work environment. Instances of such bans have been reported in cities like Bucharest, where patrons have been asked to leave for using laptops after buying just one coffee.
i was shocked a few months ago when i walked into a hipster café in Bucharest to work on my laptop and they told me to leave the idea of a coffee shop banning laptops had never even occurred to me. Never knew it was a thing. But it’s a real thing. https://t.co/bkaivbHetb
what if I just like to do my work in cafes sometimes the desire to police what people's preferences are for how they use various spaces is weird/creepy I have friends; I'll talk with them when and where I damn well want to https://t.co/owO96inILg
The cafe is European and should not be allowed to be appropriated as some quasi workplace or therapists couch. Where are the French & Austrians here? https://t.co/OkK5kjDfdn
The laptop-in-cafe discourse: have always found it to be a subpar work environment.
Can't believe cafés don't want dudes buying one coffee and then squatting in their business for 8 hours to do work they could've done at home or in the office on better chairs https://t.co/GmRnyTrHFs
European cafes are 100% right to ban "coworking" i.e. staring silently at my electronic device screen for hours on end while pretending to work and taking up space in a public place intended for relaxation and socializing. Don't let Americans turn the cafe bar into an office! https://t.co/ehn9smzURn