Welcome to the Digital Repair Café in Milton Keynes. My vision is to create an accessible location in Bletchley to support young adults with mental health issues, neurodiversity conditions and other disabilities learn vital digital skills and people to fix their computers, laptops and other technology. Have a look at the plan in the sections below and leave a comment with your thoughts or connect on BlueSky or Mastodon.
KYAL 💚 Axel.
What is a digital repair cafe?
A digital repair cafe is a place for people to meet, repair their technology, and learn new skills. You can bring your device and use our tools, get advice on how to fix it or even drop it off with us to repair for you.
We want to create an inclusive space for everyone to feel welcome, especially those who are dealing with challenges due to their socio-economic status, learning difficulties, ASD, ADHD or disabilities.
Our aim is to promote and champion the right to repair our own technology, utilise free and open source software and preserve our rights to freedom of speech and expression.
Service Menu
This is the draft service menu. Prices will be finalised based on funding, location and costs incurred.
Membership
A membership gives you priority access to timeslots and discounts on tool hire, parts, food and drinks from the cafe.
| Tier | Cost | Access Hours | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lite | £5 | Up to 4 hours per week, Perfect for anyone who wants to dip their toes | |
| Frequent | £35 | Up to 16 hours per week, Great value for regular users | |
| Students | £15 | Up to 12 hours per week, A discounted rate for students | |
| Disabled | £10 | Up to 12 hours per week, Includes physical disabilities and mental-health conditions |
All costs are charged monthly in advance and can be paid in cash, direct bank transfer or by debit or credit card.
Pay as you Repair
An ideal choice for individuals who need tools for a specific, one-off project.
Workshop Bench Hire:
- You can rent out a workbench by the hour or day.
- £21 for a half-day and £42 for a full day.
- Includes soldering iron, precision screwdrivers, tweezers, utilities, anti-static matt and wristband
Individual Tool Hire:
- A refundable deposit of £20 per tool is required to ensure items are returned in good condition.
- A flat rate of £5 per day per tool is applied, with a maximum of 5 days rental.
Repairs
Assisted Repairs
We can coach you to repair your own technology. You receive expert guidance and access to a workbench, tools, and spare parts (additional charges apply).
You can book an assisted repair for £25 per hour or only £15 per hour if you are a member.
Simple Repairs
We repair your tech for you. We provide a limited 7 day warranty on all repairs.
| Tier | Cost | Membership Rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | £10/h | £5/h | Less than 30min |
| Complex | £20/h | £10/h | More than 30min |
Costs for replacement parts are charged in addition to the repair charge.
Please note the list of things we cannot repair:
- Microwaves
- Items with high sentimental value or irreplaceable uniqueness
- Mobile phones and tablets
- Chargers and batteries
- Items that are very restricted in their repairability or require the use of specific repairers (e.g. Apple computers)
- Any item still under manufacturer warranty or otherwise covered under a warranty (e.g. leased or rented items)
Talks
We aim to offer free 20 minute lunch-time talks once a week. Spaces will be limited and require pre-booking. Members will get priority access to tickets.
A range of premium talks is also planned. Please let us know if you are interested in paid talks on a wide range of topics relating to digital skills and technology.
Cafe Menu
Going with the ethical theme, we will stock sustainably sourced and local products where possible. We endeavour to cater for a wide range of dietary requirements.
We also consider to have a pop-up cafe run by an external group. Please get in touch if you are interested in using our space as a pop-up venue for your culinary delights.