For many young adults moving to a new city, the initial excitement of a fresh start is often followed by a quiet, persistent realization: making friends as an adult is grueling. The organic social structures of school and university disappear, leaving a vacuum that digital connections—despite their ubiquity—rarely fill. This gap has given rise to a new wave of “social infrastructure” designed specifically for helping young people make friends in an era of unprecedented urban isolation.
In the historic city of Bath, James Telfer is attempting to systematize the act of connection. An architecture graduate, the 27-year-old founded CircleUp, a subscription-based service that curates real-world interactions to combat the stagnation of adult social lives. The venture is less about the “swipe” culture of dating apps and more about creating a reliable framework for recurring human contact.
The impetus for the platform came from a sharp contrast in experience. Telfer noted that while he struggled to build a meaningful social circle after relocating to Bath, he found it remarkably easy to connect with strangers while traveling through South America in 2024. This phenomenon—where the vulnerability of being a traveler lowers social barriers—became the blueprint for his business model.
The contrast of the traveler’s high
There is a documented psychological ease to making friends when both parties are in a state of transition. In hostels and foreign cities, the shared status of “outsider” creates an immediate bond. However, back in the structured environment of a home city, those same barriers return. Telfer recognized that the difficulty of building a social life from scratch wasn’t a personal failing of the individuals, but a failure of the environment.
CircleUp seeks to replicate that “traveler’s ease” by removing the ambiguity of the invitation. For a subscription fee, members gain access to a curated calendar of events designed to facilitate low-pressure interaction. These include pub nights, sporting events, coffee mornings, board game nights, and organized day trips.
The launch of the scheme began with a single pub night in Bath. Despite the eventual success, Telfer admitted he was “very worried” the concept would fail. He expressed uncertainty over whether the event would be a “one-off” where people would simply disappear after a single meeting, rather than forming lasting bonds.
“I had no idea what would happen or whether it would just be a one-off and people would disappear and you wouldn’t see them again, but I think it kind of struck a chord with people,” Telfer said.
Building ‘social infrastructure’ for Gen Z
The core philosophy behind the app is the concept of social infrastructure. In urban planning and sociology, this refers to the physical places and organized activities that allow people to encounter one another naturally. As traditional “third places”—the cafes, libraries, and community centers that exist between home and work—have evolved or vanished, young people have been left to navigate their social needs via screens.
By providing a subscription-based gateway to events, CircleUp is essentially attempting to manufacture a third place. Telfer argues that the “big insight” of the platform is that it provides the necessary scaffolding for friendships to grow, rather than just a directory of people to meet.
This approach addresses a specific pain point for “Generation Lonely.” According to the World Health Organization, social connection is a critical determinant of health, yet the modern urban experience often facilitates physical proximity without emotional intimacy.
The CircleUp Event Model
| Event Type | Social Function | Intensity Level |
|---|---|---|
| Pub Nights | Casual ice-breaking | Low |
| Board Game Nights | Activity-based interaction | Medium |
| Sporting Events | Shared passion/excitement | Medium |
| Day Trips | Extended bonding time | High |
A systemic crisis of connection
The rise of platforms like CircleUp is not an isolated trend but a response to a broader public health crisis. In the United Kingdom, the government has taken the unusual step of appointing a minister to tackle loneliness, acknowledging that social isolation has impacts on health comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, as noted in various UK government initiatives on social isolation.
For young professionals and graduates, the struggle is often compounded by the “digital paradox.” While Gen Z is the most connected generation in history via social media, they report higher levels of loneliness than previous generations. The effort required to move a conversation from a DM to a dinner table can feel insurmountable without a third-party facilitator.
By shifting the focus from “matching” (the primary goal of apps like Bumble BFF) to “doing” (the primary goal of CircleUp), the platform reduces the social anxiety associated with the first encounter. The event itself becomes the focal point, allowing the friendship to develop as a byproduct of a shared activity.
The road ahead for organized friendship
As the platform grows, the challenge for Telfer will be maintaining the intimacy of these groups as they scale. The risk of a “one-off” encounter remains a central concern in the design of any social network; the goal is to move users from the organized event into independent, organic friendships.
The success of such initiatives suggests a shifting cultural appetite. There is an increasing acceptance of “paying for community,” a trend seen in the rise of co-living spaces and curated social clubs. For a generation that has spent much of its formative years in digital spaces, the desire for tangible, structured, and safe ways of helping young people make friends is becoming a market necessity.
CircleUp continues to operate in Bath, serving as a litmus test for whether “social infrastructure” can be successfully delivered as a service. The next phase for the platform involves expanding its range of activities to ensure a diverse array of personality types can find a point of entry.
We would love to hear your thoughts on the “loneliness epidemic” and whether you believe subscription-based social clubs are the future of friendship. Share your experiences in the comments below.
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