Major UK coffee chain bans 'laptops and tablets' in blow to customers

The popular coffee chain bans university students from studying in one of its shops after complaints their marathon revision sessions take up too much space.

Major UK coffee chain bans ‘laptops and tablets’ in blow to customers

A major UK cafe chain has banned common activity in coffee shop at some of its stores during some of its busiest days of the week. The popular coffee chain bans university students from studying in one of its shops after complaints their marathon revision sessions take up too much space.

Black Sheep Coffee, on Broad Street in Reading, has placed a sign in the window reading ‘no laptop, no tablet, no study’ banning students from 12pm Friday until 7pm Sunday. “Our trial last weekend was a big success, and we thank you in advance for your continued support,” the notice adds.

A medical student, who posted the store’s sign on TikTok under the name @besties_in_medicine, said: “Working in a café can be much more productive and give a change of environment for a short time, when you’ve been studying at home or at university for hours.

“We love to have a sweet treat and matcha to keep up our energy with the workload we have as final years. We were disappointed to not get our matcha this weekend, but overall understand Black Sheep’s decision to restrict working in these hours.”

Prisila said: “Are people who go to study at cafes supposed to buy one drink per hour to stay there three to four hours.” Another said: “I could understand people who would sit and chat for hours but students in session? Not everyone has a nice place to study or a library available around.”

Last year, one coffee shop in Canterbury banned laptops. The owners of Fringe and Ginge said people working on computers was ruining the atmosphere of their cafe and when introducing the ban in May 2024, people have started talking more and they’ve ‘built a community.’

Alfie Edwards, who owns the business with his partner Olivia Walsh, said: “I think what has changed massively in the dynamic and the way that people work. We had some really bad experiences with people, asking us to turn music off so they could do Zoom meetings.'”

Describing how the atmosphere changed since the laptop ban, Mr Edwards said: “It’s just so nice to have people who were previously strangers that now chat regularly. To see people connecting, we’ve kind of built a community here.”