A pay-by-the-minute café concept has returned to London, where guests are charged for how long they spend in the café, rather than what they eat or drink.
Some might remember that such a 'café' (it’s actually the opposite of a café, but bear with us) opened in Shoreditch a few years back, but shut up shop not long after. Well, that same chain has landed in London once again, this time in Old Street, to provide a pay-per-minute sitting room/meeting room/co-working and events space.
Ziferblat, which translates roughly to ‘clock face’ in Russian and German, also has branches in Russia, Slovenia and Ukraine and is a response to the changing patterns of 21st-Century working. Everything, from hot drinks and snacks to sockets and super-fast Wi-Fi is free; except the time you spend there.
Whether you head to Ziferblat to relax with a book, learn the piano – there’s a piano – or to work on your laptop, you might feel slightly uneasy about being on a timer, but there are plenty of folks who will find it more relaxing than a regular coffee shop. For anyone who’s ever been desperate to down their latte while it’s hot, but sipped it slowly until it’s cold to justify their spot in a café, this pay-as-you-stay concept is ideal.
The brand new space in East London is set up to resemble a cosy living room, complete with comfy sofas and chairs, a large communal table and a range of board games for those visiting in their free – sorry, spare – time. Tea, coffee, cereal, fruit and baked goods are plentiful, there are daily events, and all ages are welcome.
All this freedom to come and go as you please must cost a fortune though, right? Wrong! Ziferblat’s rates are surprisingly reasonable and cheaper the longer you stay. It’s 8p/minute for one hour, 5p/minute for two hours, 4p/minute for three hours and a fixed rate of £12.60 for four hours or more.
Ziferblat is located at 1 Vince Street, EC1V 9HB. Check it out – you might just have the time of your life.
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