Best Places to Work Remotely in Durham

Durham is a city built around study, so it is no surprise that a laptop on a cafe table barely raises an eyebrow here. Term time brings a wave of students looking for somewhere to write an essay, and freelancers, visiting academics and home workers are all competing for the same window seats. The good news is that between a free public library, a council-run business centre with hot desks and a cluster of characterful cafes on the peninsula, there is a spot for most kinds of working day. Here is our local rundown.

The free option

Durham Clayport Library

If you want a reliable, free place to work, Durham Clayport Library on Millennium Place (just off Claypath, opposite the Gala Theatre) is the obvious starting point. Durham County Council lists free WiFi, free computer and internet access, study tables and self-service printing and photocopying (printing is charged per page). It is also one of the few places in the city that stays open into the evening: Monday to Friday 9.30am to 7pm and Saturday 9am to 5pm, closed on Sundays.

There is no cafe counter, but the Walkergate multi-storey car park gives direct access to Millennium Place, and there are a handful of independent cafes a couple of minutes away on Claypath when you need a break.

Best for: Free WiFi and PCs, quiet study tables, and late weekday opening until 7pm.

Coworking and hot desks

Salvus House, Aykley Heads

Durham does not have a big branded coworking chain, but Salvus House on the Aykley Heads business site is a genuine alternative. Run by Business Durham, the county council's economic development arm, it offers hot desking and coworking alongside its office suites, with options to book by the hour or by the month. There are also bookable meeting rooms and a larger conference suite, plus virtual office packages if you need a business address.

It is the pick for anyone who needs a proper desk, a professional setting for client meetings, or simply some separation between home and work. Check current availability and rates with Business Durham before you go. If you are setting up on your own, our guide to business support in Durham covers the wider help on offer.

Best for: Proper hot desks, meeting rooms and a business address, without leaving the city.

Cafes on the peninsula

Flat White Kitchen

Flat White Kitchen at 40 Saddler Street fills several floors of a restored townhouse on the climb up to the cathedral. The upper rooms tend to be calmer than the ground floor, which makes them a good bet for a morning of emails over a speciality coffee. It is open Monday to Thursday 9am to 4pm, Friday and Saturday 9am to 9pm, and Sunday 10am to 4pm. Weekend brunch gets busy, so it is best treated as a weekday working spot.

Best for: Speciality coffee and several floors of seating near the cathedral.

Vennels Cafe

Tucked up a narrow passage off Saddler Street, Vennels Cafe is spread over three floors of a historic building with a heated, canopied courtyard. Its hidden-away position means it is far quieter than the main street outside, and it opens every day from 9am to 4.30pm (last orders 4pm), so it works for a Sunday session too.

Best for: A quiet, characterful hideaway that is open seven days a week.

Chapters Tea Rooms

Chapters Tea Rooms occupies a Grade II listed building on Elvet Bridge with seating for around 100 over two floors. The size is the point: you are less likely to feel you are hogging a table than in the smaller cafes, and the menu runs from breakfast through lunch to scones and cakes for the mid-afternoon slump.

Best for: Plenty of space over two floors on Elvet Bridge.

Leonard's Coffee House

For a change of pace, Leonard's Coffee House sits in Fowler's Yard, the courtyard of craft and studio units off Back Silver Street near the river. The setting is tucked away from the shopping crowds, and it is known for its breakfasts and freshly baked goods, which makes it a good place to start the day before heading somewhere with longer hours.

Best for: A quiet courtyard setting and good breakfasts away from the crowds.

The coffee chains

When you need predictability, the city centre has three big chain branches within a few minutes of each other: Starbucks on North Road by Framwellgate Bridge, Caffè Nero on Silver Street and Costa Coffee in the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre. All three have plenty of sit-in seating and the kind of long opening hours that the independents cannot always match. Starbucks is handy for the bus station and the walk up to the railway station if you are working before a train.

Best for: Predictable chain coffee, long hours and a quick dash to the bus or train.

Tips for working in Durham

• Mind term time. From October to June the peninsula cafes fill with students, especially mid-afternoon. Mornings and university holidays are noticeably quieter.
• Buy as you go. If you are staying for a few hours in an independent cafe, order something every hour or so and avoid the lunchtime rush.
• Sunday is the tricky day. The library is closed, so Vennels and the chains are your best options.
• Plan a route. A practical working day might start at the library at 9.30am, move to Flat White Kitchen for lunch, and finish back on Claypath when the cafes close at 4pm.

For more places to grab a good coffee, see our guide to the best cafes and coffee shops in Durham.

Know another laptop-friendly spot in Durham? Let us know via our contact page.