A small coastal town has made a controversial move to reclaim its cafés from the grip of the creative class.
The picturesque seaside town of Netherford-on-Sea has become the first UK town or city to introduce a so-called Creative Tax. The charge is aimed at freelancers, remote workers, and “digital nomads” who regularly use local cafés as makeshift offices.
The tax — which came into effect on 1 April — requires anyone visibly working on creative projects in public hospitality spaces to pay £3 per hour. The new scheme, officially known as the Public Space Creative Usage Levy (PSCUL), has been met with confusion, mild outrage, and several illustrated protest posters.
According to Netherford Council, the initiative is intended to “protect the ambience and availability of independent cafés for traditional customers”, after a recent study found that nearly 40% of the town’s seating in coffee shops was being “monopolised” by freelancers with laptops, sketchbooks, and “creative energy drinks in obscure packaging”.
“We’re not anti-creativity,” said Councillor Sheila Booth, who spearheaded the campaign. “But we’ve reached a point where you can’t order a tea without overhearing someone discussing their Substack newsletter or planning a risograph zine.”
The new regulation defines a “creative activity” as any of the following:
- Using Adobe software in public
- Writing on a laptop while wearing noise-cancelling headphones
- Sketching in an A3 pad with “excessive focus”
- Saying the phrase “I’ve got a pitch at 3”
- Occupying a table with a KeepCup, banana, and visible Moleskine for more than 90 minutes
Freelancers found working without a Creative Licence (available for £45/month via the council’s new Creative Portal) could be fined or asked to move to one of the newly installed Designated Freelancer Benches, which feature solar-powered USB ports and “lightly padded” seating.
Local café owners are divided. Barry Trent, who runs Flat White Whale, says, “I love my creative customers — they basically pay my rent. But I haven’t seen my window seat in months. It’s been taken over by someone editing a podcast about typefaces.”
Not everyone is taking the tax seriously. A group of illustrators has begun selling protest stickers reading ‘Tax This Doodle’ and ‘PSCUL is Pants’. Meanwhile, a rogue band of copywriters is allegedly drafting a ‘Manifesto for Public Creativity’ in a Google Doc titled ‘REVOLTFINALv3REALFINALTHISONE.docx’.
One local graphic designer, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I just wanted to draw foxes in peace. Now I’m paying more in coffee fines than I do in National Insurance. What happened to supporting the creative economy?”
Netherford Council insists the measure is a trial and will be reviewed after six months. In the meantime, neighbouring towns are said to be “watching with interest” — particularly East Plumwich, which has seen a sharp rise in creative activity since the opening of a new artisan bagel co-working café last month.
