Many cafes are losing their previous tolerance of people who squat for hours in their premises, sucking their wifi and electricity whilst nursing one or two cups of joe. I try not to be one of those people. Unfortunately, yesterday I found myself in central London in need of power and a caffeine hit. What to do? Why, harness the Twitter brain, of course!
I shouted out for suggestions of good cafes near Oxford Street with owners who are happy for the office-displaced to work for an hour or five and these were the results:
Cafs and culture
moleiatau: head down to the ICA – power, wifi, coffee
thompsondigital: Try @sketchlondon great cakes
solobasssteve: I think there are still plug sockets available at the cafe in Foyles, or The Breakfast Club in Soho… (where you are served tea in a mug like this)
spaceboy: dunno about power but the nordic bakery on golden sq is nice
MvdMbladiebla: Check out the Revolution Bar at 2 St Annes Court. Free wifi, nice interior and good food.
Entire streets of caffeination
scottcawley: there’s a stretch on Gt Titchfield St, about 5 min from Ox St and Broadcasting Hse – loadsa nice cafes
ereuben: If yr near Oxford Circus, Carluccios / others on Market Place just off Oxford St end of Gt Portland St
For a cafe with a view (and good shopping during those screen breaks)
renzephyr: top floor Selfridges caf has wifi, good view
Corporate coffee recommendations came in one flavour
timreason: starbucks at borders
maxshanly: Just off Oxford Circus, behind the Apple Store is a Starbucks. Its nice a quiet and you’ll be able to plug your laptop in there.
Co-working establishments
leylandrichard: You should avoid Pret – too loud – Think about eOffice, formal workspace & a free coffee – you need to call ahead quoting WorkSnug
And get your plugs ready for the launch of TechHub in the future.
I ended up going here, where we filmed the last pieces to camera for programme 3 of Virtual Revolution ten days ago. It was a recommendation at the time from DoP Oli. Nice. Shabby chic. See if you can guess what it is on Saturday night when the film broadcasts!
Catch up with previous Twittersources, including places to see near Whitley Bay, Tyneside and off-the-beaten-track sights in London.
Comments
excellent Matthew, keep me posted. always very useful information.
Now that Borders is no more, perhaos you could list the cafe at Foyles on Charing Cross Road; there’s free wi-fi there.
There’s an iPhone app that a friend of mine hasstarted called WorkSnug that tells you this sort of thing via augmented reality. It works very well.
Enjoyed the programme tonight!
There’s a growing list of laptop-friendly cafes in London at laptopfriendlycafes.com, which also covers other cities. There is also a related iPhone app, which you can find here, or via the site, or by searching the App Store for ‘Laptop Friendly Cafes’.
Full disclosure: I built the iPhone app and I want millions of people to buy it.
top tips for the iphone apps doug and will. thanks!
And the cafe i went to was the lovely yumchaa, for those who are interested.