The Offline Club13 Images
Racking up hours spent looking at phones, laptops and tablets is commonplace nowadays. Both our work lives and personal lives are increasingly dominated by screens that douse us in blue light and encourage frequent doomscrolling. Many of us now no longer know how to function without our precious devices: when I was invited to attend and write about a phone-free event hosted by The Offline Club, I fretted about how I would jot down my observations without the Notes app on my phone. It then dawned on me with regrettable speed: ah, with a pen and paper. I needed this more than I thought.
Evidently, I was crying out for a night without my phone. I regularly post on Instagram multiple times a day as part of my nine-to-five, and the hours I spend on my phone are accordingly sky-high. In one particularly hectic week, I spent 23 hours and 27 minutes on Instagram alone.
Although this was slightly unusual for me, hours similar to this are small fry for others: according to a 2024 Ofcom study, young people aged between 18 and 24 are online for an average of six hours and one minute per day, while those aged between 25 and 34 spend four hours and 51 minutes online daily. Adults between 18 and 24 are also more likely to disagree that they have a good balance between their online and offline lives than adults over 54, with another study finding that 48 per cent of users between the ages of 16 and 24 reported concerns linked to the amount of time they spend on social media.
The Offline Club is one initiative trying to combat the mounting issue of smartphone addiction. Founded in Amsterdam in 2024, the club hosts offline events to “unplug, relax and connect with like-minded people”. Capitalising off a franchise-like structure that allows locals to run their own events, it now has chapters in London, Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Dubai and Aarhus. “I think it tapped into something people were already craving: real-life connection without the noise of social media,” says Ben Hounsell, the City Leader of the London chapter. “The idea spread through word of mouth – people came, loved it, and told their friends. And because the need for offline spaces is universal, it resonated beyond just one city.”
The Offline Club hosts events regularly, with the London chapter organising socials every week. They range in size and type, and ticket prices vary depending on the event, ranging from free to £15. They can be stripped back, with some simply providing space and time to detox digitally. Other events revolve around specific activities such as zine-making or dinner at a restaurant. On March 29, the London chapter is even hosting a world record attempt, hoping to bring 1,000 people together to watch the sunset on Primrose Hill without their phones. “In a world where we’re constantly distracted, we want to give people a reason to look up and enjoy simple, screen-free moments,” says Hounsell.
Having now attended my first “offline hangout” – mine was the “XL Edition”, accompanied by “candlelight piano” – I can see the appeal. Hosted in a pretty, spacious church in West Hampstead, the space was set up like a Disneyland for mindfulness and relaxation. Fairy lights were draped overhead while tables were set up with activities to keep you occupied but present. You could paint, draw, read or pick up one of the exercises, like sudoku or writing a letter to a stranger, laid out by Hounsell and his team.
There was a clear sense of structure from the off, with the first 45 minutes allocated as “settling in” time. Having arrived almost bang on the start time of 6:30pm, I was among the first people there. I gave my phone to a woman manning a glass lockbox and found a small table to observe the arrivals. Throughout this first stage, the crowd grew substantially, with some coming with a partner or friend, but most coming alone. I reckon there were around 100 people at its peak – pretty decent for a Wednesday night.
After a live piano performance from 7:15pm to 8:00pm (the “connect with yourself” segment), during which Hounsell and his team encouraged silence, the floor opened for conversation. This is what distinguishes The Offline Club from digital detoxes you can do at home or other live music events: its ability to foster a community. Meeting new people can be daunting, but with a loneliness epidemic that sees young adults feeling lonely nearly twice as often as those over 70, spaces like The Offline Club can be a lifeline.
Encouraging new connections outside of an intense social environment meant there was no pressure to engage if you didn’t want to, but if you did, many people were happy to chat, without a phone to distract them. One attendee explained she came because she didn’t feel she could connect with people outside of dedicated spaces like this. Another recently moved to London and came to make new friends. I heard countless introductions, laughter and one very vocal board game session. After spending an hour painting across from each other, two women exchanged numbers on scrap paper to plan a future meet-up. “It’s the sense of belonging,” says Hounsell of the Offline Club’s impact. “It’s a reminder that we don’t need notifications or scrolling to feel connected – we just need to be present with each other.”
After the event ended, I collected my phone from the glass box and, to my surprise, didn’t feel the urge to turn it on immediately. It was a refreshing break, and over the course of the evening I’d had some really nice conversations. When I did wake my phone from its well-needed slumber to check the train times (which I could’ve done on the board, but old habits die hard), I felt calm. I’d, of course, missed absolutely nothing.
