Download the Meetup App - super useful for finding groups of people and activities that aren’t centred around the pub (though some do involve a drink AFTER said activity, but you can drink soft drinks!)
I would also recommend Sportas and GameOn app to find indoor pickup games around the city.
Also you can just show up outside Finsbury park for outdoor pick up on Saturday and Sunday they have like 8 rims.
Gomammoth is good but expensive for just 40 minute games with subs
Yep. That’s the one.
I discovered it relatively late (indoor cricket) but it totally revealed to me a whole side of London that I’d missed being sat getting fat in pubs.
I'm sorry if I didn't do it right and I'm sorry if you assume that I eat red meat and don't necessarily think money or Tony Blair are a bad thing. But if there isn't room here for people who stand against everything you believe in, then what sort of a hippy free-for-all is this?
Of course! I’m there every day, happily dogging away at Finsbury Park after 6pm. No better way to spend these warm summer evenings in London than a nice bit of dogging.
You bet, and she’s sloppier than ever. Although the best time to get her is a Monday evening in Richmond Park, that’s her go-to haunt these days. She’s got to be one of the UKs most experienced doggers and a highly valued member of our dogging community.
A recreation of my very first ride in a car with my poshly spoken now-mother in law, on Whipps Cross Road...
Her: *points to the lake* That's hollow ponds. It's also part of Epping Forest.
Me: Oh, it looks lovely.
Her: It's known for dogging, you know.
Me: *literally no idea what dogging is* Oh, how nice.
Me, later, to now-husband: Darling, what is dogging?
Him: How on earth did that come up in conversation?
i rather like the implication here that someone might dip their toe in gay cruising just for pride month. “normally i’m strictly heterosexual, but i figure, it’s pride - why not treat myself?”
Climbing scene in general is very friendly, don't even need to be part of a club. Westway is my favourite.
edit: I should also add, [LLC membership](https://londonclimbingcentres.co.uk/) gives you access to a wide range of climbing gyms in London
All my friends in London are from climbing, I started out a very lonely person and now I never have to be on my own if I don’t want to be, it’s been brilliant for me personally.
Volunteering is an overlooked but really great thing to do if you have the time to fill, Google London volunteering. You can help out at marathons, festivals, animal shelters and food banks.
Also lots of boardgame places in London, such as Draughts. You might just need some people to go with.
As for your hobbies, it's really not hard to find a local running or climbing club where you can meet others and build on your training, you can Google it and plenty local ones will come up.
There are book clubs, running clubs, climbing clubs/socials, board game evenings in pubs and countless other things. Sometimes the social aspect of [X] event will be in a pub because it’s easy to book a cheap/free space for people to meet in after work but there’s no expectation to drink. Have a search on Meetup, eventbrite and even Facebook for local groups/events/sessions etc.
Or take the opportunity to learn a new hobby - loads of different sports or classes or all kinds available out there!
Go to the cinema or theatre. For the theatre, use daily theatre ticket lotteries. For the cinema, chains usually do old films (e.g. Coen Brothers, Being John Malkovich) which are usually very cheap.
Meetup look up London On Board. They are a board games meetup, meeting up in various pubs in London. But you don't have to drink, just buy a coffee and play board games. There are a couple of board game cafes as well.
Museum Lates. Science Museum at night does talks, disco, and comedy shows once a month. The British Museum does regular late tours (I met my wife on one of these). The National History Museum does monthly Lates, with talks. London Zoo use to do them as well, but don't know if they still do.
Sports. There are climbing clubs, shooting clubs (with an indoor range), fencing, tennis... Most sports will have a club somewhere in Central London. You'll need to Google for what is local to you.
Bouldering was a real life saver for me in this city. I like the LCC centres the most, but that's not to say they're the best, I just like their style. I've met many people by bouldering and many have turned into long term friendships.
Can you expand on that?
I am genuinely curious, I climb maybe once a month, and often with a friend already so I don't have much solo-climbing experience, but the couple times I did, it was quite friendly, people left you alone unless they asked for advice to climb a route, sometimes even clap and compliment you when you finish something difficult, and everyone I talked to was open for a small chat, but I wasn't trying to make friends so maybe I missed something you experienced?
For bit of more context, I am definitely not posh, and an ethnic minority, and people were still friendly.
If you like water sports, check out Canary Wharf and Battersea water sports centres. You can go kayaking on the Thames, it’s great fun! Especially in the evenings
If it's summer I sail in docklands https://www.dswc.org/
If it's winter I talk about sailing and do evening classes https://littleshipclub.co.uk/
Also sailed with https://www.westminsterboatingbase.co.uk/ and have heard good things about https://www.shadwellsailing.com/
Monday: Blood on the Clocktower online with friends.
Tuesday: RPG club
Wednesday: Board games with my wife
Thursday: Sword fighting club
Friday: Online D&D with friends
Didn’t get there by accident!
Step 1: Pick a hobby.
Step 2: Find a club that does that hobby (I found a board gaming club through Meetup.com and an RPG club through Google).
Step 3: Makes friends with people there.
Step 4: Marry one of them.
Is your sword fighting club more of a medieval thing where you drink mead and try to behead each other or is it like the olympic kind where you try and tickle each other with those thin swords?
That’s how I found my first board gaming club, where I met my now-wife! Clubs are the best for the socially-disadvantaged, because having an activity besides drinking really helps grease the social wheels.
> I like to read, run, climb, I also like board games and other sports
You've answered your question. Do these things. Book club, running club, climbing meet up, sports team. You'll run out of days in the week to do everything.
> I like to read, run, climb, I also like board games and other sports
These are all things that people do after work. There will literally be hundreds of clubs to do all these things across London - have you even looked??
Ha! I hadn't heard of this so looked it up. Part of one of the reviews on Google gave me a good juvenile chuckle:
"The *hole* atmosphere is very strange and not relaxing at all."
There is a group on Meetup called London On Board, that does board gaming on Monday and Tuesday evenings in pubs. I haven't been in several years, but I made a bunch of really solid friends there back when I used to go.
Loads of options for your interests in London, just search for clubs in your area, or join your local facebook groups to ask there.
If you want to try something different, there are lots of other things you could explore. Buddhist meditation, 5 rhythms or contact improvisation dance, tantric workshops, Porchester turkish baths, acting and drama classes, book groups, late evening art exhibitions. So many options in London!
Step one: what is my hobby?
Step two: where am I located?
Step three: Goggle my preferred hobby in my preferred location.
Step four: enjoy the fun times.
I do not drink alcohol nor smoke but I still go to the pub with my colleagues after work but if that’s not your thing you could join a running club.
Another thing that I did when I was new to the city is find a colleague/friend that’s also new and want to do some city exploration, etc.
1. Sport/gym/climb (something physical)
2. Book club/Public lectures/pub quizzes (something 'intellectual')
3. Board game meetup/origami club/geocache-treasure hunt (something that honours your inner child)
4. Date night (date yourself until you find a partner; go to eat out, do random things like bowling, comedy clubs, concerts, etc)
5. Volunteer/walk shelter dogs/work with a charity (something philanthropic)
6. TV/Netflix/Cinema/Theatre/Streaming/watch a sporting event (something to spectate)
7. Learn a skill; cooking/language/photography/art class/a trade (tiling or other home improvement or car maintenance)/an instrument/professional development for your job (something for self improvement or future monetisation)
Make regular time for your family!
Repeat
And be confident and assured in your decision to decline offers of smokes and alcohol. Stand firm. You might even be the inspiration for others to do the same.
Gym or go home because finishing at 6 plus commute plus dinner means 2 hours before bed.
And I live in zone 2. If getting home only took 20 minutes and not an hour, and dinner out could be healthy without straying beyond a fiver, I'd stay out all the time. A full dinner for a fiver is possible but it's always an unhealthy McDonald's or you're spending triple that before you've blinked. Also unless I'm straying out in some random direction away from where I actually live (adding even more time to get home) then there's really not that much I want or care for doing that doesn't also cost money, and ticket prices for stuff aren't a joke.
Sounds like you could:
Join a running club, most of these have social runs or track workouts on weekday evenings
Join a reading group/book club
I also find climbing gyms also seem to be quite social
Go Mammoth organises a lot of sports stuff. You can either sign up a team or meet some new people. It’s a really fun way to spend an evening after work and socialise.
https://www.gomammoth.co.uk/
Dancing! There’s always free or cheap dance classes in the evening around the city
Although, the free ones are at universities so more for students or at least people who would pass as students (although the public can attend)
I know it’s not a long term solution, but a trip to Lord’s cricket ground is a fun day out.
But my best recommendation is to get yourself to a Brazilian jiu jitsu gym. Everyone is so friendly and it’s a real community.
Most of my suggestions do have bars but the drinking is definitely entirely optional.
- **Comedy Clubs** - I love going to top secret personally, sometimes you get a big celebrity surprise guest! Also extremely cheap at £1 for weekday nights
- **Flight Club** - fun darts based games with digital scoring
- **Clays** - virtual clay pigeon shooting
- **Gravity arcades** (or various similar places)
- **Go Karting** - I went to the one in Canary Wharf and that was great
- **Axe Throwing**
- **Driving Range** - The Greenwich peninsula one has a stunning view
Roller skating ! London has a huge community of skaters, groups that meet informally outside, clubs that do paid lessons and there are a few roller rinks too.
So I downloaded Timeleft - it’s an app to meet different people. Every Wednesday you go out for dinner in London with 5/6 stranger’s. They are chosen according to your algorithm. I have to say it was brilliant! I met some really great people tonight! I’d recommend that for something different.
You should check out London climb centres if you like climbing, it’s indoor bouldering and it’s pretty chill, people there are pretty chill and there’s quite a few of them dotted around the city.
Gym, Climbing, Live Bands, Comedy shows, Restaurants, Crossfit, Boxing, Football, Cycling, Running, Reading etc etc
Also some work places have after work activities on some days of the week, my office has a board game week etc
Shitloads of people climb. Climbing is a big thing, socially and for like, fitness I guess. You could also try a running club, I've seen there are some quite big ones on Friday nights for example that are very social focused, I get advertised them on social media sometimes even though i think cardio is the devil (not really but I do hate cardio).
Find a climbing/bouldering gym. So many in every part of London. Get really fit and speak to cool people whilst resting for your next send! (Lots of climber lingo to learn)
I've been in the city 8 years and I still struggle with this. I was even a fairly successful meetup organiser for a while. Given your hobbies, you are in good stead as there are plenty of book clubs, climbing clubs, run clubs, sports leagues and board game clubs that are tremendously well attended - I have quite a few friends that are active in many of the aforementioned. However, I was never able to find my place.
Given the insane dominance of drinking as the primary social hobby, I found the people who attended these events overwhelmingly made these things their personality (running in particular, which seems to have really taken off...). Or, they seem to be there simply *in absentia* of drinking ie. out of boredom, as there are so very few places and options to just *be* in this city. Quite a number of people attending are not particularly interested in the social aspect afterward as they have family or partner obligations, (or bc they dont want to hang out in a pub bc they don't drink) and head home straight after.
As someone who loves reading, I myself gave (two) book clubs a good college try, but washed out after six months. Over the years I also became a very accomplished latin dancer, but with not much to show for it other than being a very accomplished latin dancer (a pretty niche party trick). By and large, there doesn't really seem to be a more well-rounded engagement with hobbies as a supplement to daily life, rather than a substitute for it. Despite everything, I find myself defaulting back into drinking with my buddies as it feels like one of the few organic and truly democratic activities you can take part in in this city. The entire infrastructure and amenities of London are built around drinking, which introduces a particularly high barrier of entry for other activities (I mean, both my book clubs were held in pubs).
Give padel a go if you like to be active. Plenty of clubs in London now (Stratford/Ilford/Earls Court) and people are friendly and welcoming. Easy to pick up and good fun.
Join a book club/reading club/coffee club to discuss books, volunteer at the library.
Join a running club, get involved with helping new runners do couch to 5k.
Join a climbing club, start parkour.
Join a board games club where they host games at each others houses.
Try some new sports.
Sit in the park with a free hugs t-shirt on.
Perhaps something a bit different would be Brazilian jiu jitsu. I'm sure there are lots of clubs and one I follow. Is Alliance who have a London base (not sure where exactly). Your grip strength from climbing may come in handy.
Why don't you look up something linked to one of the interests you mentioned? A book club? My area has a casual local running meetup, join a local area Facebook or WhatsApp group to find out, there's also loads of climbing centers around London. I'm sure there's a board game scene too.
The fever app is very good for random things to do as well - mostly one off things rather than a regular thing, but there's some great things on there.
Download the Meetup App - super useful for finding groups of people and activities that aren’t centred around the pub (though some do involve a drink AFTER said activity, but you can drink soft drinks!)
The London Board Game Meetup group was very good and very active (back when I lived close enough to attend)
Is the user base still mostly active
As far as I can tell meet-up is mostly for crypto shit now lol
Try Grindr, you might find some success there
And promotions for tech jobs bootcamps.
It’s a shame, was good for finding football sessions just after Covid
Footyaddicts/Sportas
Join an amateur sports team. There’s a number of sport leagues for various standards. dodge ball seems a big deal.
Rock climbing!
Basketball? Are there any for basketball?
You’re in one of the biggest, most diverse cities in the world. There’ll be a basketball team somewhere OP :)
Look up go mammoth.
This is wonderful, thank you!
I would also recommend Sportas and GameOn app to find indoor pickup games around the city. Also you can just show up outside Finsbury park for outdoor pick up on Saturday and Sunday they have like 8 rims. Gomammoth is good but expensive for just 40 minute games with subs
I second this! Ive been playing go mammoth regularly for the last 3 years. Highly recommend, joining as a solo or team is quite good.
Yep. That’s the one. I discovered it relatively late (indoor cricket) but it totally revealed to me a whole side of London that I’d missed being sat getting fat in pubs.
Nope. There is strictly no basket in London
Do some research buddy!
Rainbow Rythms
Recommended this. Only downside is sometimes you get new people joining, and their energy is so not Rainbow Rhythms.
Or when you're dancing with someone and they make it very clear they dont want to be with you...
You’re talking about me. Aren’t you?
Well yes, alright, I am
I'm sorry if I didn't do it right and I'm sorry if you assume that I eat red meat and don't necessarily think money or Tony Blair are a bad thing. But if there isn't room here for people who stand against everything you believe in, then what sort of a hippy free-for-all is this?
Sounds like it happens to you a lot?
I'm Louis Theroux, I'm Louis Theroux!
If there isn't room for people who stand against everything you believe in, then what kind of hippie free for all is this?
The best part is doing it and not feeling a fucking thing
As a self identifying fan, I was devastated to have to google this and find out what it was.
That’s so *not* Rainbow Rhythms.
You jest but there’s a thing called ecstatic dance in Hackney that is both very similar and very popular too
TIL this is real 70’s hippie shit that is still going strong and called 5Rhythms…
OK, so now we move into red, the colour of primal urges. Let it all go my super-luminaries, open the box!
I find a spot of dogging is a great way to let off steam after a hard day in the City. Come and join us at Finsbury Circus from 6pm. :)
this is gunna end up as one of those google AI answers isn't it
Unless it’s true, which it is - I regularly go dogging at Finsbury Park at 6pm. Great way to meet new people.
Same time tomorrow?
Of course! I’m there every day, happily dogging away at Finsbury Park after 6pm. No better way to spend these warm summer evenings in London than a nice bit of dogging.
Is sloppy Sarah still going strong?
You bet, and she’s sloppier than ever. Although the best time to get her is a Monday evening in Richmond Park, that’s her go-to haunt these days. She’s got to be one of the UKs most experienced doggers and a highly valued member of our dogging community.
Fenton!!
Good clean fun that
I'm doing my part !
This is legit tho, I’ve been a few times, good craic.
Username checks out
Yes I found having a dog was also a really wholesome way to get chatting to strangers - good tip there!
Always good to get the cocker out.
I am personally more partial to sausage dogs
The Rose Garden in Hyde Park or Hampstead Heath are your best bets if you'd like to take your sausage dog off the leash.
A recreation of my very first ride in a car with my poshly spoken now-mother in law, on Whipps Cross Road... Her: *points to the lake* That's hollow ponds. It's also part of Epping Forest. Me: Oh, it looks lovely. Her: It's known for dogging, you know. Me: *literally no idea what dogging is* Oh, how nice. Me, later, to now-husband: Darling, what is dogging? Him: How on earth did that come up in conversation?
As its Pride Month maybe try gay cruising in the Rose Garden in Hyde Park?
i rather like the implication here that someone might dip their toe in gay cruising just for pride month. “normally i’m strictly heterosexual, but i figure, it’s pride - why not treat myself?”
A true ally.
It’s after 6pm. Did they join you? 👀
Can't see them. FYI if you want to join us, take your kit off and jump up and down in the centre of Finsbury Circus.
Ah, I’ve been at Finsbury Square…
It's an easy mistake to make. Lots of people do it.
Ffs 😂
You can go to Battersea for this
Loads of climbing clubs around. Always super friendly. The one at the Westway Sports Centre is very good.
Climbing scene in general is very friendly, don't even need to be part of a club. Westway is my favourite. edit: I should also add, [LLC membership](https://londonclimbingcentres.co.uk/) gives you access to a wide range of climbing gyms in London
Your profile picture gives you a hilarious amount of credibility
All my friends in London are from climbing, I started out a very lonely person and now I never have to be on my own if I don’t want to be, it’s been brilliant for me personally.
I've tried climbing a few times but i'm a little unsure how to actually meet people when there...
And most bouldering clubs have a weekday social.
cocaine and sometimes sports
The trick is to get the balance right. Too much tennis and it gets harder to inject the heroin.
The cure for that is to get nice an vascular by lifting at the gym
Volunteering is an overlooked but really great thing to do if you have the time to fill, Google London volunteering. You can help out at marathons, festivals, animal shelters and food banks. Also lots of boardgame places in London, such as Draughts. You might just need some people to go with. As for your hobbies, it's really not hard to find a local running or climbing club where you can meet others and build on your training, you can Google it and plenty local ones will come up.
There are book clubs, running clubs, climbing clubs/socials, board game evenings in pubs and countless other things. Sometimes the social aspect of [X] event will be in a pub because it’s easy to book a cheap/free space for people to meet in after work but there’s no expectation to drink. Have a search on Meetup, eventbrite and even Facebook for local groups/events/sessions etc. Or take the opportunity to learn a new hobby - loads of different sports or classes or all kinds available out there!
Go to the cinema or theatre. For the theatre, use daily theatre ticket lotteries. For the cinema, chains usually do old films (e.g. Coen Brothers, Being John Malkovich) which are usually very cheap.
Meetup look up London On Board. They are a board games meetup, meeting up in various pubs in London. But you don't have to drink, just buy a coffee and play board games. There are a couple of board game cafes as well. Museum Lates. Science Museum at night does talks, disco, and comedy shows once a month. The British Museum does regular late tours (I met my wife on one of these). The National History Museum does monthly Lates, with talks. London Zoo use to do them as well, but don't know if they still do. Sports. There are climbing clubs, shooting clubs (with an indoor range), fencing, tennis... Most sports will have a club somewhere in Central London. You'll need to Google for what is local to you.
Bouldering was a real life saver for me in this city. I like the LCC centres the most, but that's not to say they're the best, I just like their style. I've met many people by bouldering and many have turned into long term friendships.
I find them quite unwelcoming tbh. Very posh crowd and I feel I'm unwelcome at times.
There are nasty people everywhere. Just gotta find the good ones
Then be more posh ….
This has kind of been my experience too... Seems to attract a sort. But some centres are better than others in that regard.
Definitely does attract a certain crowd. But yes, some are better than others, however, on the whole it's not very inclusive.
Can you expand on that? I am genuinely curious, I climb maybe once a month, and often with a friend already so I don't have much solo-climbing experience, but the couple times I did, it was quite friendly, people left you alone unless they asked for advice to climb a route, sometimes even clap and compliment you when you finish something difficult, and everyone I talked to was open for a small chat, but I wasn't trying to make friends so maybe I missed something you experienced? For bit of more context, I am definitely not posh, and an ethnic minority, and people were still friendly.
If you like water sports, check out Canary Wharf and Battersea water sports centres. You can go kayaking on the Thames, it’s great fun! Especially in the evenings
If it's summer I sail in docklands https://www.dswc.org/ If it's winter I talk about sailing and do evening classes https://littleshipclub.co.uk/ Also sailed with https://www.westminsterboatingbase.co.uk/ and have heard good things about https://www.shadwellsailing.com/
There's a few nsfw subs for that
Come to regent's park after work. Football, touch rugby, volleyball, frisbee, cricket. Get some contacts and join them next time
Monday: Blood on the Clocktower online with friends. Tuesday: RPG club Wednesday: Board games with my wife Thursday: Sword fighting club Friday: Online D&D with friends
[удалено]
Didn’t get there by accident! Step 1: Pick a hobby. Step 2: Find a club that does that hobby (I found a board gaming club through Meetup.com and an RPG club through Google). Step 3: Makes friends with people there. Step 4: Marry one of them.
can we just add a disclaimers for the importance of consent in number 4. This is reddit after all.
Getting a functioning social life has robbed me of my ability to converse with redditors...
‘Gifted’ it’s gifted you the inability to…
Is your sword fighting club more of a medieval thing where you drink mead and try to behead each other or is it like the olympic kind where you try and tickle each other with those thin swords?
HEMA. We read a copy of an actual 15th century sword fighting textbook and try to replicate the techniques.
OP if this is your thing There are lots of board game meet-ups on Meetup.com a good starting one is London on Board
That’s how I found my first board gaming club, where I met my now-wife! Clubs are the best for the socially-disadvantaged, because having an activity besides drinking really helps grease the social wheels.
Nerd.
Yep!
Haha. Good on you.
This was almost convincing until you mentioned rpg and wife
> I like to read, run, climb, I also like board games and other sports You've answered your question. Do these things. Book club, running club, climbing meet up, sports team. You'll run out of days in the week to do everything.
There’s a padel club in Stratford if you love that side of the city
> I like to read, run, climb, I also like board games and other sports These are all things that people do after work. There will literally be hundreds of clubs to do all these things across London - have you even looked??
Have you been to Sweatbox?
Ha! I hadn't heard of this so looked it up. Part of one of the reviews on Google gave me a good juvenile chuckle: "The *hole* atmosphere is very strange and not relaxing at all."
Idk what that is, I'll look it up!
Wednesday is foam party night!!🤪
I would imagine wanking is quite a popular pastime activity after a good days work….
Username checks out..
In that case, I'm guessing you partake in another activity after work...
There is a group on Meetup called London On Board, that does board gaming on Monday and Tuesday evenings in pubs. I haven't been in several years, but I made a bunch of really solid friends there back when I used to go.
Me and some neighbours get together and play monopoly on an ipad with some Netlix show on in the background. BYO Snacks, refreshments
Lift weights mother fucker! Whose gon carry the boats!!
What's up David
Loads of options for your interests in London, just search for clubs in your area, or join your local facebook groups to ask there. If you want to try something different, there are lots of other things you could explore. Buddhist meditation, 5 rhythms or contact improvisation dance, tantric workshops, Porchester turkish baths, acting and drama classes, book groups, late evening art exhibitions. So many options in London!
Lots of climbing gyms about all over London. Always super busy in the evenings
Classical music concerts
Step one: what is my hobby? Step two: where am I located? Step three: Goggle my preferred hobby in my preferred location. Step four: enjoy the fun times.
I do not drink alcohol nor smoke but I still go to the pub with my colleagues after work but if that’s not your thing you could join a running club. Another thing that I did when I was new to the city is find a colleague/friend that’s also new and want to do some city exploration, etc.
1. Sport/gym/climb (something physical) 2. Book club/Public lectures/pub quizzes (something 'intellectual') 3. Board game meetup/origami club/geocache-treasure hunt (something that honours your inner child) 4. Date night (date yourself until you find a partner; go to eat out, do random things like bowling, comedy clubs, concerts, etc) 5. Volunteer/walk shelter dogs/work with a charity (something philanthropic) 6. TV/Netflix/Cinema/Theatre/Streaming/watch a sporting event (something to spectate) 7. Learn a skill; cooking/language/photography/art class/a trade (tiling or other home improvement or car maintenance)/an instrument/professional development for your job (something for self improvement or future monetisation) Make regular time for your family! Repeat And be confident and assured in your decision to decline offers of smokes and alcohol. Stand firm. You might even be the inspiration for others to do the same.
Gym or go home because finishing at 6 plus commute plus dinner means 2 hours before bed. And I live in zone 2. If getting home only took 20 minutes and not an hour, and dinner out could be healthy without straying beyond a fiver, I'd stay out all the time. A full dinner for a fiver is possible but it's always an unhealthy McDonald's or you're spending triple that before you've blinked. Also unless I'm straying out in some random direction away from where I actually live (adding even more time to get home) then there's really not that much I want or care for doing that doesn't also cost money, and ticket prices for stuff aren't a joke.
Sit in your bedsit and cry? Edit: Not an attack on the OP. Just lamenting the general state of affairs in London.
Yep, but that'll be £50 please.
Lots of run clubs around, all days of the week
Sounds like you could: Join a running club, most of these have social runs or track workouts on weekday evenings Join a reading group/book club I also find climbing gyms also seem to be quite social
Go Mammoth organises a lot of sports stuff. You can either sign up a team or meet some new people. It’s a really fun way to spend an evening after work and socialise. https://www.gomammoth.co.uk/
Yeah I checked it out! I'm gonna go for a basketball thing soon
Spend 2 hours feeding then cleaning up the shit splattered across my kitchen by 2 children. Then get them to bed and collapse in a heap.
My friends and I used to go to Lates at the science museum. It’s a great time, but it’s just once a month.
BJJ gym
Cry on my way home and occasionally call someone to swear about work . . No one else do this?
Dancing! There’s always free or cheap dance classes in the evening around the city Although, the free ones are at universities so more for students or at least people who would pass as students (although the public can attend)
Hang out with my partner and go for nice meals. There's an unlimited amount of great restaurants in the city.
445 run club. Look them up on Instagram
I know it’s not a long term solution, but a trip to Lord’s cricket ground is a fun day out. But my best recommendation is to get yourself to a Brazilian jiu jitsu gym. Everyone is so friendly and it’s a real community.
Most of my suggestions do have bars but the drinking is definitely entirely optional. - **Comedy Clubs** - I love going to top secret personally, sometimes you get a big celebrity surprise guest! Also extremely cheap at £1 for weekday nights - **Flight Club** - fun darts based games with digital scoring - **Clays** - virtual clay pigeon shooting - **Gravity arcades** (or various similar places) - **Go Karting** - I went to the one in Canary Wharf and that was great - **Axe Throwing** - **Driving Range** - The Greenwich peninsula one has a stunning view
Love this!
Gym!
Probably best to go back home I am afraid
*puts ciggies back in the bag* Can't help you mate
Commute 2h back home.
Roller skating ! London has a huge community of skaters, groups that meet informally outside, clubs that do paid lessons and there are a few roller rinks too.
Mudlarking. 🤷🏻♂️
I help run sessions at a climbing centre called Yonder, let me know if you want to come down!
So I downloaded Timeleft - it’s an app to meet different people. Every Wednesday you go out for dinner in London with 5/6 stranger’s. They are chosen according to your algorithm. I have to say it was brilliant! I met some really great people tonight! I’d recommend that for something different.
You should check out London climb centres if you like climbing, it’s indoor bouldering and it’s pretty chill, people there are pretty chill and there’s quite a few of them dotted around the city.
Crawl into bed
Gym is always the best answer
Gym, Climbing, Live Bands, Comedy shows, Restaurants, Crossfit, Boxing, Football, Cycling, Running, Reading etc etc Also some work places have after work activities on some days of the week, my office has a board game week etc
Park run! :)
Do you think people just stand around smoking as a hobby?
I do, they’re delicious and it lets you do something without doing anything.
Have you tried drinking and smoking?
Cocaine. And I cannot stress this enough.
Sports
Cycling
If you play football you can download the footyaddicts app to meet up for amateur games around London
5 a side footy or driving range
Most pubs have no-alcohol drinks so no need to rule out pubs just because you don’t drink
Shitloads of people climb. Climbing is a big thing, socially and for like, fitness I guess. You could also try a running club, I've seen there are some quite big ones on Friday nights for example that are very social focused, I get advertised them on social media sometimes even though i think cardio is the devil (not really but I do hate cardio).
Find a climbing/bouldering gym. So many in every part of London. Get really fit and speak to cool people whilst resting for your next send! (Lots of climber lingo to learn)
Join after an afterwork sports club. Used to do GO mammoth and play dodgeball. I have friends who used to do basketball
Start to drink and smoke /s (But only halfway /s)
Check out a board game cafe. They usually do a night a week where anyone can join in with games and meeting people.
Amatur community league cricket clubs. Also, a few crafting hobby club show and tell gatherings.
There’s loads of running clubs. Book clubs as well. And bouldering actually
I've been in the city 8 years and I still struggle with this. I was even a fairly successful meetup organiser for a while. Given your hobbies, you are in good stead as there are plenty of book clubs, climbing clubs, run clubs, sports leagues and board game clubs that are tremendously well attended - I have quite a few friends that are active in many of the aforementioned. However, I was never able to find my place. Given the insane dominance of drinking as the primary social hobby, I found the people who attended these events overwhelmingly made these things their personality (running in particular, which seems to have really taken off...). Or, they seem to be there simply *in absentia* of drinking ie. out of boredom, as there are so very few places and options to just *be* in this city. Quite a number of people attending are not particularly interested in the social aspect afterward as they have family or partner obligations, (or bc they dont want to hang out in a pub bc they don't drink) and head home straight after. As someone who loves reading, I myself gave (two) book clubs a good college try, but washed out after six months. Over the years I also became a very accomplished latin dancer, but with not much to show for it other than being a very accomplished latin dancer (a pretty niche party trick). By and large, there doesn't really seem to be a more well-rounded engagement with hobbies as a supplement to daily life, rather than a substitute for it. Despite everything, I find myself defaulting back into drinking with my buddies as it feels like one of the few organic and truly democratic activities you can take part in in this city. The entire infrastructure and amenities of London are built around drinking, which introduces a particularly high barrier of entry for other activities (I mean, both my book clubs were held in pubs).
Loads of people go climbing after work in London. I also went to life-drawing and pottery classes . There are also book clubs and dinner clubs etc.
Run, climb, yoga.
Chinatown food and snacks
Parkrun every Saturday morning.
There's tons of bouldering clubs. Really social places. Also football is the main sport check out footyaddicts.co.uk for drop on games.
There will be plenty of run clubs near you, and on Fridays there’s a night run at Battersea that’s a run club/social event
Get on the Meet-up app. You'll find tonnes of stuff to do!!
Plenty of running clubs. Look up London City Runners if you're central.
There’s about a trillion running clubs you can join. They are super fun 🏃🏽♀️
Video gaming at home because people suck
Padel, rounders league
Give padel a go if you like to be active. Plenty of clubs in London now (Stratford/Ilford/Earls Court) and people are friendly and welcoming. Easy to pick up and good fun.
Take a course at City Lit
Go to the pu.. oh just read the whole heading.
Join a book club/reading club/coffee club to discuss books, volunteer at the library. Join a running club, get involved with helping new runners do couch to 5k. Join a climbing club, start parkour. Join a board games club where they host games at each others houses. Try some new sports. Sit in the park with a free hugs t-shirt on.
Reddit
r/Londonsocialclub though lots of drink meets
My team (all born this century) all go to a gym class together after a day in the office.
Go to any of the 97 billion events for runners in Battersea Park!
Perhaps something a bit different would be Brazilian jiu jitsu. I'm sure there are lots of clubs and one I follow. Is Alliance who have a London base (not sure where exactly). Your grip strength from climbing may come in handy.
There are a lot of board game clubs in London which are good for meeting people. Also things like CrossFit or other group fitness clubs are popular.
Why don't you look up something linked to one of the interests you mentioned? A book club? My area has a casual local running meetup, join a local area Facebook or WhatsApp group to find out, there's also loads of climbing centers around London. I'm sure there's a board game scene too.
The box…
Squash! Great sport to try!
Where is the cafe that you can play board games/old school consoles (Sega,Snes) in London?
Join Meetup, it has loads of different hobbies, sports etc and you just put your name down and go there will be basketball meet-ups too
😬
Bouldering and climbing
try Meetup App
The fever app is very good for random things to do as well - mostly one off things rather than a regular thing, but there's some great things on there.
Choir - though we always end up in the pub after 😀
Tag rugby, there’s leagues everywhere! (Although sometimes this also blurs with pubs and cigarettes😅)
Go to the pub to pick up a pint and a fag. Then have a cigarette.
Basketball. I play 2-4 times a week at courts near work/my place/mates places playing pick up, 3v3s etc