The Chatty Cafe Scheme, which operates in hundreds of UK venues, has proved a hit in Morden amid reports nearly 10% of Londoners experience severe loneliness.
The scheme, founded in 2016 by Alex Hoskyn, aims to tackle loneliness by setting up ‘Chatter and Natter’ tables where people could sit down and chat in social spaces like cafes and pubs.
Thanks to a thriving network of volunteers and participants, there are now roughly 700 Chatty Cafes, including dozens in London.
Abi Murray, the scheme’s operations manager and Hoskyn’s sister, said: “Maybe because more people have been working from home, and with all these advancements in technology, there’s actually more loneliness bubbling away underneath.”
Hoskyn came up with the idea while on maternity leave, when she found herself spending more time in cafes.
She noticed many people were sitting alone, and felt there was a lack of services aimed at combating loneliness.
Any social space can sign up for the scheme at a cost of £30 a year, and in return, venues receive posters and signage to promote their ‘Chatter and Natter’ table.
This ensures that members of the public, who may have heard about the initiative through word of mouth or online, know exactly where to go when they arrive.
Typically, a Chatty Cafe venue designates one or two tables to the project for one hour a week, with volunteers on hand to ensure everyone feels welcome and comfortable.
Sally Bishop is one of three volunteers who hosts a table at the Potting Shed Cafe in Morden Hall Park, South London, every Tuesday morning between 11am and 12pm.
She said: “If people ask for help, we can suggest appropriate services, but we have clear boundaries as volunteers, so we’re not allowed to physically help anyone or buy participants a coffee or anything like that.”
Morden Hall Park is owned and managed by the National Trust, and Bishop, who is retired, was already a volunteer for the park when the opportunity to partake in the scheme was presented in early 2025.
She added: “There is a regular group of about 10 who normally attend, but some weeks it’s much busier.”
On the day I visited, at least 15 people were gathered, making it the busiest spot in the cafe.
Ralph Richer, the food and beverage manager at Morden Hall Park, said he put the cafe forward for the scheme knowing it would benefit both the local community and the business itself by providing a Tuesday morning boost.
He said: “The pub used to be that third space people went to socialise, but we’re not doing that anymore, so things like The Chatty Cafe are even more important.”
While participants can buy a coffee or a pastry, Bishop is keen to stress that this is not a requirement, and there is no judgement if people do not purchase anything.
At its root, the scheme is focused on bolstering community and tackling the loneliness epidemic.
Around a quarter of UK adults reported feeling lonely always, often or some of the time, according to ONS data released in 2024, and Age UK estimates a million older people in the UK often experience loneliness.
However, one group overlooked in discussions about loneliness is under-35s.
Reports of mass nightclub closures and the decline of Britain’s pub culture is likely linked to rising loneliness among Generation Z.
Lauren Sullivan, 28, has lived in South London all her life and is a regular at Potting Shed Cafe’s ‘Chatter and Natter’ table.
After struggling to fit into other social groups, including a book club and a games club, she said The Chatty Cafe became a social lifeline.
She added: “I don’t really have many friends, and so when someone told me about the scheme, I thought, yeah, let’s give it a go.
“Everyone was just so friendly, they all made a big effort to welcome me, which surprised me because I‘ve often felt ignored in social settings.”
Sullivan is keen to keep attending, but the charity is finding times hard.
Murray hopes to pair up participating venues and businesses that can sponsor them, in a bid to ease financial pressure on the charity.
The Chatty Cafe Scheme has also partnered up with Costa Coffee, meaning all Costa stores across the UK can set up their own ‘Chatter and Natter’ table.
For those unable to attend in person, the charity also runs online sessions and operates a telephone friendship service.
Seeing firsthand the positive impact the scheme has on people’s lives, it is clear that human connection holds to the key to tackling loneliness in London, one conversation at a time.
Click here to get involved and find your nearest Chatty Cafe.
Featured image credit: Instagram – thechattycafe
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