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If you're a workaholic in need of wifi access without the whir of a coffee machine to distract you, you're in luck (as long as you're not prone to claustrophobia). London's iconic red phone boxes are being turned into tiny, fully functional workspaces.
Earlier this month the New York company Pod Works launched its first office space opposite Senate House in Russell Square. The idea is to give these largely defunct telephone boxes a new lease of life.
For £25, Pod Works members will get a unique pin that gives them access to any of the pods, which have more facilities than you might think – though good luck scheduling a work meeting in there. Membership includes free internet access, a 25-inch screen, scanning and printing via wifi or AirPrint, plus free calls to UK numbers.
And if you're worried about upkeep and security, all pods have CCTV and emergency unlock facilities, and they will be checked and cleaned daily. The company also hopes to develop an app so you can find your nearest workstation easily, so now there really is no excuse to ignore those mounting emails.
The company hopes to have 82 pods up and running across the UK by the end of 2016 and 300 across the UK by the end of 2017. In London, the next pod will open in Greenwich (next to the Mitre Hotel, Greenwich High Road) with another six pods in Camden, Islington, Chiswick, Uxbridge, Lambeth and Stratford opening later this month.
Remember when a phone box in Hampstead got turned into a coffee shop?