How to meet people in London

A lot of people move to London and haven’t really thought about how to meet new people. Although the capital is home to almost 8 million people, the fact that there are so many of us, can ironically make it more difficult to meet people, than in a small market town where you see familiar faces on a day-to-day basis. Londoners are quite anonymous and don’t like to strike up conversations with strangers on public transport or in supermarkets. Instead, you’re going to have to make a bit of an effort to seek out new friends. Don’t be put off though, so long as you’re proactive, you’ll meet people from all different walks of life that could remain your close friends for decades.

Workmates – one of the most obvious social circles that you’ll find yourself in, is that of the workplace. After-work drinks are very common in London, on any night of the week, but particularly Thursdays and Fridays. Make sure that if someone invites you to go along to the pub, that you don’t turn them down the first time. You’re more likely to be asked along again if you show that you’re not anti-social. If you’re not a big drinker, then just go for one or two to show willing.

Sport – you don’t have to incredibly athletic to join a sports team in London. Our recent Sport in London post, details sports teams such as Netball, Hockey and Football that you could join. If team sports aren’t your thing, then how about joining a running club or bootcamp army fitness club. Sports clubs/teams are great places to meet people as they very frequently result in drinks after the activity, as is the norm in London.

Join a class – if you’re really not in the least bit interested in sport, then how about taking a class in something where you can meet people who have similar interests to you. How about an art or pottery class, yoga or pilates, cookery, or anything where the class is particularly interactive such as a language class where you can show off, or laugh about your rubbish linguistic skills with others. Keep an eye out at your local community centre for upcoming courses.

Expat community – if you’ve moved to London from abroad, you might want to get in touch with people from your home country. If you’re from the EU, then take a look at our EU Citizens page for clubs and societies that may remind you of home.

Housemates – if you’ve recently moved in with strangers, then try and get to know them better. They’ll almost certainly have existing circles of friends in London that you might like to get to know. Suggest throwing a house-warming party where you get to meet some new faces.

Community – get involved with your local community. See if your area has a virtual message forum, such as Virtual Norwood. If they do, it’s quite possible that the posters regularly meet up for drinks and talk about local events.