Cafe met with big response after asking laptop users not to 'hog' tables

A cafe is asking customers not to use their laptops at its tables and "hog" them for hours, preventing other customers from finding seats and damaging business.

Sara Jenkins, who owns Sophie's cafe in Aberystwyth, Ceredigion, said everyone was welcome, but added people needed to be more considerate of those who wish to eat there.

A Facebook post by the cafe outlining the new rule has received over 300 responses, including comments welcoming the move, Sara said.

"It's sometimes frustrating when someone grabs a table for hours during busy periods - because we're losing money," she said.

"I was afraid I was being unreasonable at first, but the response has been very positive so far," she added.

"We welcome everyone - old, young, students, children.

"But we're a cafe that works quickly, and we're always busy - every customer has been served within about five to 10 minutes."

According to Sara, one customer came in shortly after 08:00 and stayed until at least 10:15 after having toast and coffee, spending over two hours behind his laptop.

"We asked him if he would like to anything else - but he didn't, and unfortunately we had to ask him to leave shortly afterwards.

"I hate to feel awkward or make someone else feel awkward, but we're not a cyber cafe - we don't even have sockets at our tables.

"I'm very proud of the response there to the message so far - everyone in the comments has welcomed the request - which makes us feel better," she said.

Steff Rees regularly visits cafes and shares his impressions on his Instagram account, Crwydryn y Garleb.

Steff's aim is to try and find the best cafes in west Wales and beyond.

He was recently on holiday in the Netherlands, where he visited the popular cafe Cupp in Utrecht, which charges €2.50 an hour for people who bring a laptop to work on.

Looking back on his experience, Steff suggested that Sophie's request was not uncommon.

"I saw several cafes with specific rules to restrict laptops, which included a complete ban or a ban during busy hours such as lunchtime," he said.

"Two measures that are quite common across Europe and Britain, not just this cafe in Aberystwyth."

He explained that Cupp installed the measure because it helped to "maintain" their business, and that a specific and quieter table was provided with plugs for those customers.