Ziferblat is an "anti-café" chain where customers pay per minute for the time spent in the venue, with food and drink being otherwise free of charge.[1][2] Decorated in the style of a living room, guests clock in and out at the desk upon entry and are encouraged to treat the space like home. Typically, the public space includes boardgames, newspapers, wi-fi, a mixture of soft and hard furnishings, a piano, a library and craft supplies.[3]
The name Ziferblat is derived from Zifferblatt, meaning "clock face" in Russian and German. The first branch of Ziferblat was founded in 2010[citation needed] and opened in September 2011 in Moscow by Ivan Mitin. Ziferblat's prototype was a common space called Tree House.[4]
In the United Kingdom, Ziferblat has opened branches in Manchester,[12] Coventry[13] and London.[14]
The Liverpool branch in Albert Dock was closed in March 2017 after the Dock management evicted them over "considerable arrears".[15] A second Liverpool branch was also closed in October 2018 following an allegation of rent arrears.[16] The chain's MediaCityUK branch was closed in January 2019.[citation needed]
The public sitting room space is intended to act as an alternative to working from home, and is hired on a flexible basis, paying by the minute, with an option to pay a monthly membership fee. Customers can also pay a fixed fee to stay for the whole day.[citation needed] In 2017, Ziferblat was cited as an example of how modern working patterns were changing in the United Kingdom, particularly in urban areas.[23][24]
Each branch has a variety of creative spaces businesses can rent (with a minimum spend) for meetings or activities which would have been typically held in a hotel or a conference centre.[25] Meeting room styles vary, and have included a primary school classroom and a chintzy vintage dining room.[25] The pay per minute rate includes all technical equipment, Wi-Fi and unlimited snacks.[25][26][27]
