From The BBC


I have to admit working (paid work in my time, now voluntary) from coffee shops - and trains and ferries all over the place.   More that one computer - yes in that I carry Lisa's laptop too (which is bulkier than mine) but no printers or partitions.

 
Actually, I do occasionally work in a Coffee Shop.

The worst experience I have yet suffered there is one of the resident dogs chewing my laptop's wireless mouse, last year. That was my fault, for leaving it within reach. And I know which dog it was - even if I can't prove it. 

 
We called into one of the good coffee shops, of which Bridport has quite a few, to find that two people were using their laptops on a table that normally seated eight. The staff were quite happy about this when we enquired. We sat at a table just vacated and noted that everyone who came in avoided that table and usually left unless another table became available.
I have no problem with people working in cafes but feel this should have been managed better by the staff as it represented almost 50% of its seating capacity.

 

Indeed - there's various balances to be struck.  I - often (perhaps I might even say "usually" when alone) have my laptop to hand when eating and drinking away from home. In part it's a 'mental' thing of having company or something to do.  If I am pausing at the location for a while (perhaps to rest, or awaiting onward public transport, or completing a post) in addition to the time taken to eat or drink, how long is it reasonable to do that, and am I seat or table blocking?   The modern form of sitting in the corner and reading a book or newspaper ... rather than staring into space or people-watching to the extent they may feel that I am creepy.

Coffee Shops and eateries themselves set out their "stall"s to guide their customers and tune their customer bases.  In work days, there was one chain restaurant I would use where it seemed the staff were taught to take tuned care of customers eating alone; subtle differences that made me feel welcome.   There are other where "find your table and have one come to the bar to order" discourage the lone eater as (s)he is split between finding and holding on to a table - perhaps leaving something there to mark it as taken - while ordering.   And then there's the whole business of how tables are arranged - is the tiniest table for one in that awkward triangle in the passageway to the loo?

 
Don’t think I’d get my bus inside. That’ll be bulkier than the desktops and printers they’re complaining about!

 
It annoys me in the smaller outlets where several will be working at tables, with a queue of customers wanting tables.

 
Don't start me on those who try to eat one handed on the Pullman while using their laptop with the other.....