A café in Swansea recently revealed it was banning mobile phones and laptops for one evening a month, the BBC reported.
The ban at Ground Plant Based Coffee, Brynmill, was introduced in an attempt to encourage customers to have more meaningful interactions.
Owner Helen Wilson, speaking to the BBC, said the cafe’s “offline nights” had been positive so far.
She added: “There were strangers sat on tables together, and a lot of skill sharing such as knitting and crocheting.”
A cafe in Swansea has banned phones and laptops for one evening a month in an attempt to encourage customers to have more meaningful interactions.https://t.co/UQS2tcduYD
— BBC Wales
(@BBCWales) March 12, 2025
Should mobile phones and laptops be banned in cafes?
With this in mind, we took to Reddit to ask the general public whether they thought a laptop and mobile phone ban should be implemented right across cafés in the UK.
It seems most Brits are against the idea, saying they don’t go to cafés to interact with strangers.
One Reddit users commented: “A lot of people go to cafés alone, I certainly do, if I wasn’t able to relax with a coffee while doom scrolling on my phone, I would go somewhere else.”
A second person added: “Not too sure why, I don’t think it matters tbh. I don’t really go to a café wanting to talk to people I don’t know.”
While a third user said they wouldn’t appreciate being told what to do and would find another café that did allow electronic devices.
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They posted: “Not in general. I don’t need cafe to dictate what I do, I am not a child. If I go to a cafe with a friend, I will not check my phone and neither will they.
“If they’re the type to constantly be on their phone, we wouldn’t be friends for long. When I go on my own, I want to use whatever mobile device I want to use.
“What meaningful interaction looks like will differ for different people and as an adult, I would not appreciate being told that I can’t use my phone because my interactions aren’t meaningful.
“Are some people on their phone way too much? Absolutely, but that’s their own responsibility and I would simply ditch a friend like that or tell them off.
“However, if a cafe is upfront about it, they have every right to do so and I have every right to chose other establishments.”
Others said while they didn’t think it was a good idea, they weren’t against some cafés trying some kind of ban when it came to phones, laptops and other electronic devices.
This person said: “I don’t go to cafes to speak to strangers, I think it’s a stupid idea. But if it’s what the owner wants and customers are happy with it/it draws in a different type of customer then all power to them.
Another Reddit used added: “I don’t think it should be common place. There are a lot of people who would like to have a coffee in a cafe and be left alone. Some don’t like conversations with others, and some find it uncomfortable.
“One or two nights month is fine as a gimmick, but it shouldn’t be standard practice.”
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While another interested party said the mobile and laptop ban was a “great but niche” idea.
They added: “Not all the time but a session here and a session there to see if it’s popular enough to make money.”
What do you think? Would you like to see a ban on mobile phones and laptops in cafés? Let us know in our poll above or the comments section below.
