A technology firm is campaigning for people to work one day a week from the pub – in an effort to bolster the hospitality sector.
The meeting space company’s idea has been greeted with enthusiasm from bars, restaurants and hotels who think it could help the economy.
And the concept – which was dreamt up by app-based network WorkClub – could be the tonic for working from home employers sick of their front room.
It is similar to an initiative from the Irish government, who recently announced a proposal to turn pubs into remote working hubs to give rural villages a boost.
The prospective UK drive, called the Work 4 Good pledge, launches on May 17 and has the backing of some of Britain’s biggest companies.
Young’s Brewery head of sales Sarah Groves said: ‘Working from the pub has become even more popular over the last year with a reduction in office work.
‘Working remotely from your local has many benefits; it’s usually a short walk from home, no overcrowded tube journey required and it’s supporting the industries recovery.
‘We offer free WIFi in all our pubs and many of them offer “work from the pub” packages through WorkClub which include unlimited tea and coffee and a choice of lunch.’
Young’s Brewery head of sales Sarah Groves was one who was in favour of the new idea
The Royal Saracens Head pub in Beaconsfield as bars are now allowed to serve alcohol
The idea comes from WorkClub, which was founded by Nick Donnelly and Upile Chasowa
WorkClub is offering its services at no cost to hospitality venues across the UK to help them recover.
It says its app will promote their venues to increase traffic and revenue, by encouraging people to work from them during daytime hours.
Service apartments firm Edyn Group said it thought the idea had merit and could help business across the sector.
Paul Spencer, Operations Director, said: ‘We anticipate that hotel social spaces will see a significant increase in demand from the remote workforce in the wake of the pandemic.
‘As the novelty of working from home begins to wear thin, and people crave a sense of community, these spaces provide a more stimulating environment to work from, as well as high-tech facilities and amenities.
‘By adopting hotels as an alternative workspace, it also creates new revenue opportunities for the hospitality industry – which needs as much support as possible at this moment in time.’
It comes a day after a new poll suggested a quarter of people wanted to remain mostly or completely working from home, a new poll has suggested.
An Opinium survey conducted for the Prospect trade union showed that 24 per cent of people wanted to stay working at home when life goes back to normal.
But some 37 per cent said they wanted to work mostly or completely from the office.
Meanwhile, 17 per cent of workers said they wanted to split their time in half between the office and their home.
A new Opinium poll for the Prospect trade union showed a quarter of workers want to remain working mostly or completely at home after the pandemic
The polling suggests that young people are more likely than their older counterparts to want to spend at least some of their work time back in the office
The Government is set to consult on extending flexible working rights amid fears for the future of struggling city centres. Oxford Street in central London is pictured in March this year
A similar YouGov poll published in November last year suggested that half of workers, 50 per cent, wanted to work from home every day or most days.
Meanwhile, the new poll findings, published by The Times, showed that young people are more likely to want to return to the office than some of their older counterparts.
Some 64 per cent of 18 to 34-year-olds said they wanted to spent at least some of their time back in the office.
But the number was 48 per cent for the 35 to 54 age group and 49 per cent for over-55s.
The polling, conducted between April 1 and April 7, comes as the Government prepares to launch a consultation later this year on extending flexible working rights.
It could mean more people being able to retain high levels of working remotely or even completely avoid a full return to the office.
The consultation will inevitably prompt concerns about the future of struggling city centres.
The Opinium poll also suggested that two thirds, 66 per cent, of home workers support a ‘Right to Disconnect’ policy.
This would require companies and staff to agree rules on when people cannot be contacted for work purposes.
Andrew Pakes, Prospect research director, said: ‘Remote working is here to stay, but it can be much better than it has been in recent months.
‘Including a Right to Disconnect in the Employment Bill would be a big step in redrawing the blurred boundary between home and work and would show that the government is serious about tackling the dark side of remote working.’
