Coffi Lab Apologizes for Banning Students from Exam Study in Cardiff Cafe

A coffee chain apologized after banning students from revising for exams at one of its cafes in Cardiff.

Coffi Lab in Whitchurch put up a sign declaring the location a no-study zone. It directed school pupils to use the library across the street. The sign included a picture of a dog at a laptop with coffee and stated that from that day, local school pupils were no longer permitted without an adult. It asked visitors to respect other customers.

In a statement, Coffi Lab said the branch had been overwhelmed with pupils spending long periods there, often without buying anything and bringing food from elsewhere. The chain has since removed the restriction and reverted to its existing laptop policy. "On reflection we didn't communicate this as effectively as we should have done," it said.

The cafe, one of eight in Wales and four in England, sits near Whitchurch High School. Many pupils there are taking GCSE and A-level exams.

Tom Griffin said he was taken aback when he saw the sign. His 15-year-old son had just finished a history exam and was in the cafe with friends before meeting his father. "They were being polite. They were looking to buy things," Griffin said.

Griffin noted that with exams underway, the teens faced heavy pressure. He called it reasonable for them to have coffee together and work as a group. He offered to stay with them, but staff asked the group to leave when they sat down alone.

"I can't imagine any other group of people being asked to leave a coffee shop," Griffin said. He predicted outrage if elderly people or mothers with babies faced the same treatment. He has spoken to the branch manager since the sign came down but said teenagers often get misunderstood. "They are overwhelmingly polite, decent, honest, straightforward - when we talk about the community, the teenagers are a part of our community too."

Responding to a social media post, Coffi Lab apologized and called it a mistake. The chain said it works to make its shops warm and welcoming for the community. Still, the situation put significant strain on staff and cut capacity for other customers. It introduced the temporary measure requiring students to be accompanied by an adult, despite working with the local school.

Coffi Lab said it has taken steps to explain its thinking and apologize to those raising concerns. "While we welcome small groups adhering to our policy, we hope that the school may be able to support with better accommodating their needs," it said.