Is working from pub the new working from home?

By Fay Capstick

For many of us working from home is the reality of our working life now. For many it is an excellent option to get a work/life balance, especially for those with caring responsibilities; plus it saves on the costs (and environmental impact) associated with commuting. We know that for some people a more communal working environment is preferred which has explained the rise in co-working spaces. Now that winter is upon us with the reality of rising fuel bills, another option has emerged: working from the pub. This week we will look at this idea, what is being offered and the pros (and cons) that come with it.

What is working from pub (WFP)?

Everyone is being hit with the rising fuel bills and this includes businesses and hospitality venues such as pubs.

Home workers will be faced with a far higher bill to heat their homes, and if you are the only member of your household in during the day it might seem extravagant to heat the whole house. With the clocks having gone back and daylight lasting for a precious few hours, working alone at home in the gloom and chill seems less appealing than in the summer.

Pubs, hoping to boost their income, have come up with a solution and some are offering work from pub packages. These will typically include use of the wifi, a sandwich lunch, plus unlimited tea and coffee for the day, and cost around £10-£15 per day.

Is it something that you might be interested in trying? Let’s look at the pros and cons:

The pros of working from pub

A warm space: This winter there is a good chance that the pub is going to be warmer than your home. So staying cosy and not freezing your typing fingers is a huge pro.

A welcoming space: Your pub is probably a very friendly and welcoming space with staff that are happy to see you and maybe even other remote workers to wave to.

The unlimited tea and coffee: A huge plus! If you take a work from pub package you are probably going to get unlimited tea and coffee thrown in. If you are trying to get focused solid work time in this is perfect as you won’t lose time waiting for the kettle to boil. Nor will you be paying for the energy to boil the kettle or doing the washing up after.

Saving on heating bills: The pub is a warm space that you aren’t paying to heat!

No access to your fridge: For those of us prone to snacking when working from home (think Boris Johnson and his stated weakness for cheese), working from the pub means no access to your fridge or snack cupboard.

A printer that works: One pub chain, Brewhouse and Kitchen, is even throwing in use of a printer in their £10 WFP package (https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/oct/09/goodbye-wfh-hello-wfp-thats-working-from-pub-this-winter), plus unlimited soft drinks. What could be better than a printer that you don’t need to stress over?

The cons of working from pub

Noise: you can’t predict who else might be in the pub, so noise could be an issue, especially if you are easily distracted. And noise could also be a problem if you are going to be making Zoom calls. Noise cancelling headphones could be the solution if it is a real problem.

Privacy: Privacy could be an issue depending on how you work. If you have a lot of zoom calls to make you might want to look for a quiet corner to sit.

Bathroom breaks: This is a big problem, as depending on where you are, a bathroom break might mean having to take your laptop and valuables with you into the bathroom (annoying and time consuming). However if you are in a friendly and quiet pub, then you will probably buddy up with the worker at the next table to mutually guard each other’s stuff.

Extra spending: Having constant access to ordering snacks and extra food from the pub kitchen could get expensive. Best stick to the sandwich lunch package (if offered) and bring a small snack if you are keeping costs down.

The wifi or mobile signal: My local pub doesn’t have wifi, and given the thick old walls, the mobile service is poor with a slow 3G at best unless (you walk outside). If you are trying to work and not be distracted by notifications this could be a good thing, but for everyone else it could be a problem. Of course, pubs specifically trying to woo the work from pub audience should have good wifi and signal boosters installed

Does it work in practice?

I tried working from the pub for the day and it was a nice change. The staff were very friendly. Even though the pub didn’t have a specific work from pub package, the sandwich and drinks didn’t top the £15 mark. The pub was very quiet during the day and it was easy to find a cosy corner near a fire and with a view out the window. Noise wasn’t a problem. Others were there with their laptops and it was fine to leave your stuff for bathroom breaks. There is usually a pub dog or cat to keep you company.

Final thoughts

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