It’s now 10 years since Cyberia, the UK’s first internet café, was opened in Whitfield Street, London. There are now thousands of such cafes dotted across the country, with even the most remote areas featuring a web surfing service.
Despite the fact that nearly half of all UK households are now online, internet cafes continue to be popular among the public and many budding entrepreneurs are tempted by the idea of starting up in the industry.
Much has changed in the 10 years since Cyberia first opened its doors. Internet connections are around 50 times faster than in 1994, mostly thanks to broadband. Cafes now provide customers everything from coffee and muffins to gaming and online learning.
The increasing number of homes connected to the net has led to speculation that the days of the internet cafe are numbered. However, visitor numbers still remain high and with added creature comforts in most cafes, the industry remains robust.
Many cafes are boosted by the number of backpackers and other travellers who need to keep in touch with friends and family by email. With gaming and other activities in many cafes, some customers continue to visit for social reasons.
Jason Deane, of Quarks (www.quarks.co.uk), a chain of internet cafes in and around London, feels there is a sustainable future for internet cafes “for some years yet.”
“Apart from the fact that we are still seeing sales grow faster and faster every year, the audience as a whole is not technically proficient and come in for very basic help.
“Many of our users have a PC at dome and work and yet still use us or other cafes, simply because they are so used to using it.
“I always use this analogy – you can buy a beer and drink it at home for a lot less than you can at a pub. In theory then, all our pubs and clubs would have shut down years ago.
“They haven’t, why? Because the social element of going for a drink with friends is a bigger pull than the fact that it costs more and you have to make the effort to go out in the first place.”
