Malvern Events Backs “Empty Chairs” Campaign to Help Tackle Loneliness in North Yorkshire
Local hospitality business, and Harrogate Chamber member, encourages people to take a simple step towards making new connections
“Take a Seat”: North Yorkshire Pubs Join Campaign to Tackle Loneliness
A North Yorkshire hospitality business is backing a national initiative encouraging people experiencing loneliness to take a simple but potentially life-changing step – go to the pub, take a seat, and let others know they are open to conversation.
Malvern Events, which operates The Square & Compass in North Rigton and The Castle in Spofforth, is getting behind Empty Chairs, a charity founded around the simple idea that too many people in the UK are living without someone to talk to, socialise with or share their worries and anxieties.
The initiative encourages people who may feel lonely or isolated to visit a pub or hospitality venue and sit in a designated “empty chair” area. By wearing something orange, participants can make it clear that they are there to meet people and have a conversation.
The first Empty Chairs visit is planned for 14 September, with the hope that it will encourage others in the local community to get involved.
For Malvern Events, the initiative highlights what it believes is one of the most important roles that pubs and restaurants can play within their communities – bringing people together.
“One of the presentations that has most affected me this year was a presentation from Empty Chairs. I think it is an amazing charity, driven by the simple starting point that there are a lot of people on their own in the UK,” said Alastair Scott at Malvern
Inns.
“Having someone to talk to and share with is really important for many people, but starting the journey of making new friends can be daunting. Sometimes simply knowing that there is someone else there who is happy to have a conversation can make all the difference.”
Malvern Events is taking the initiative a step further this year by introducing community tables on Christmas Day at both The Square & Compass and The Castle, giving people who might otherwise spend Christmas alone the opportunity to come together and enjoy the company of others.
The move reflects the business's belief that hospitality venues have a unique role to play in tackling social isolation.
As more everyday interactions become automated – from self-service tills and online shopping to increasingly technology-led services – pubs, restaurants and cafés can provide something technology cannot: genuine human connection.
“We often talk about what pubs and restaurants provide in terms of food, drink and entertainment, but our role in bringing people together is arguably even more important,”
“If hospitality venues across our communities can become places where people know they can go, sit down and have a conversation, we can make a real difference to people's lives.
“Empty Chairs feels like a very simple first step – and that's what makes it so powerful.”
Malvern Events is encouraging other pubs, restaurants, cafés and hospitality businesses across North Yorkshire to consider getting involved with Empty Chairs and to think about how they can help create more opportunities for people to connect.
What is Empty Chairs?
Empty Chairs is an initiative founded on a simple idea: too many people in the UK are living without someone to talk to, socialise with or share their worries and anxieties with.
The initiative encourages people who may be feeling lonely or isolated to take a small but important step – go to a pub, café or restaurant and take an empty chair.
By wearing something orange, people can make it clear that they are there and open to meeting someone new. The aim is to make starting a conversation less daunting and create opportunities for people to build new friendships and connections.
The concept recognises that hospitality venues have always been places where people come together, and believes that pubs, cafés and restaurants can play an increasingly important role in tackling loneliness within their local communities.
As the original Empty Chairs presentation highlighted, even a short conversation can be incredibly valuable – for some people, it may be the only meaningful interaction they have that day.
The message is simple: there is always room for one more conversation
