Do People Still Use Coin Laundry?

EastEnders fans are used to seeing scenes play out in the coin-operated launderette, which was run by Walford legend Dot Cotton for 55 years in the long-running soap.

The golden age of launderettes in Britain was between 1950 and 1980, just before washing machine ownership increased substantially in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

So, do people still use coin laundry? We will explore this question in this article, which we hope you find interesting.

What is coin-operated laundry?

Coin-operated laundry (also known as self-service laundry) refers to the process of inserting coins into communal washing machines or tumble dryers to clean clothes.

The first coin-operated launderette in Britain was opened in Queensway, London in May 1949, and it still exists today!

Over the following decades, more coin-operated launderettes opened across the country. So, it was a regular fixture of life to visit a launderette every week, dragging your washing basket with you, along with plenty of change.

By the 2010s, launderettes began declining in popularity, because the vast majority of people owned their own washing machines, but also because people no longer carried as much cash with them (thanks to the invention of contactless bank cards in 2007).

In the UK, there are only around 3,000 launderettes left, compared to the 12,500 that existed in the early 1980s.

Do people still use coin laundry?

So, do people still use coin laundry? Are they a dying business?

Well, people still use coin-operated launderettes due to their convenience. For instance, if you need to wash a heavy, bulky item (such as a duvet and pillows), then launderettes usually have larger washing machines which can accommodate these.

What’s more, launderettes come in useful for tourists and people who are travelling. This enables them to return home with clean clothes, rather than carrying around wet or dirty clothing inside their suitcases!

There are some launderettes which allow you to pay by card (contact and contactless), as well as Apple Pay; however, it is rarer to find these in the UK, especially if they still use older, industrial machines which only accept coins and notes.

What is the future of coin laundry?

As we have mentioned already, coin-operated launderettes are witnessing a decline in popularity all over the UK.

In recent years, we have had the Covid-19 pandemic, which slowed down business even more for local launderettes. The lockdowns prevented people from leaving their homes to get their laundry done, while social distancing restrictions and fears of the coronavirus spreading meant that people didn’t want to share communal washing machines with other people.

What’s more, the cost of living crisis has hiked up energy, gas and electricity bills, which means that launderette owners are having to hike up their prices, resulting in a substantial drop in turnover.

This means that the future of coin-operated launderettes is uncertain. Launderettes are essential services, however, many of them are closing down because they cannot afford to continue trading.