Making friends as an adult is hard – despite loneliness being a common issue, it is rarely talked about openly. Enter Soft Launch Social: a speed dating event for friendships that was set up earlier this year and takes place at Bustler Food Hall in Sneinton Market Avenues. We spoke to founder Meigan to hear about the curation of the event, how the event unfolds, and the impact it’s already having on the community in Nottingham.
A recent survey by the Office of National Statistics, reported that almost a quarter of UK adults feel lonely, showing just how common the issue really is. Interestingly, it is these younger adults that are finding it difficult, with around 30% of 16–35-year-olds feeling lonely compared with just 16% of over 70s. Without those built-in structures of school or university that young adults have been used to for years, making friends and finding a group of people you connect with all of a sudden feels difficult and daunting. Here, an idea was born.
In April 2026, Meigan set out to change this statistic, letting Nottingham open its doors to a brand-new event – the Soft Launch Social. The idea came to Meigan in February after speaking to many friends, colleagues, and family about how tricky it was to make friends after moving to Nottingham. “After sitting down with my partner, I realised just how hard it can be,” she told me. “His group of friends had all moved away.”
The Soft Launch Social aims to tackle this exact feeling, focusing their events on making real connections and aiming to reduce the stigma around adult loneliness. All events are therefore LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent friendly, and aimed at the ages of 21-35, with a goal of making friendships more accessible and relaxing.
Without those built-in structures of school or university that young adults have been used to for years, making friends and finding a group of people you connect with all of a sudden feels difficult and daunting. Here, an idea was born
I went along to Bustler where the event takes place to see this first hand. People were naturally nervous, but Meigan had done an amazing job at creating a calming space for the attendees – making sure the room wasn’t too loud and adding sensory toys and cards highlighting where to access support. When I arrived, strangers were already chatting and laughing with one another, and as Meigan started the event she made it clear that there was no pressure to speak and that people could leave as and when they pleased. Frequent breaks in the event also helped to create a more natural connection as many went off to get drinks together or even used the whole time to continue chatting.
Since launching, the events have soared in popularity, with Meigan herself saying that she was really surprised how well received the events were. “This was an idea I came up with in my spare time and has become something I love to do,” she said.
Most events to date have sold out, with many people returning for multiple and some even travelling from further afield just to attend. At the time of writing, Soft Launch Social has hosted eight successful events and created more than 1000 friendship matches. What began as a problem among a group of people has struck a chord in the city, its success showing how widespread difficulties around making friends can be.
The people of Nottingham could not be more welcoming to the idea. “The whole idea of the event was just brilliant,” said one attendee. “There’s nothing like it already, and it was a great way to meet new people”. Another attendee agreed commenting on just how scary making new friends could be, saying that they were “really glad” they pushed themselves to come after initially feeling nervous.
Many individuals have continued their friendships outside of the socials, with groups making plans to meet up again. After speaking to Meigan at her event in early August, she explained that many people have stayed in touch long after the night has ended, with many going out later in the evening or completing the quiz at Bustler’s Food Hall. It has even been the start of romantic relationships. For Meigan, it is proof that the idea has done exactly what she had hoped, and it gives her the confidence to expand even further.
In July, Meigan announced two Pride events, which both sold out ahead of time and raised over £260 for Notts LGBTQ+ in the process. Partnering with Handmade Nottingham and Lush on the events, she is now thinking of expanding Soft Launch Social to more groups and places across the UK, including Sheffield and Leeds.
In the past few months Meigan launched more events; a dedicated guys' and girls’ event in September and a craft social in October. She is also looking to work with some of student accommodations to introduce a dedicated student night, opening the idea to a younger audience and giving students another way to meet people outside Nottingham’s nightlife.
At its heart, the Soft Launch Social is just about making that first step towards community a little bit easier. What started as a simple idea to help people make friends in a new city has quickly brought hundreds of people together across Nottingham. In just a few months, Soft Launch Social has hopefully created lasting friendships and new relationships. Whether you head along by yourself or with a group of people, the events serve as a place where connections are made, and it is clear that Nottingham may only be the beginning.
The next Soft Launch Social takes place on Wednesday 4 November 2026 between 6.30 -8.30pm at Bustler Food Hall. A Queer Speed Friending (21-35) event happens Saturday 21 November at Bustler between 2-4pm. Head to their socials to find out more and book.
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