How To Meet New People and Make Friends in the East of England

Market towns, cathedral cities and long stretches of coast give the East of England a slower social rhythm. Learn how women meet people here and where it pays to begin.

Four smiling women share snacks and backgammon on a cosy rug, for women meeting new people in the East of England

6.6M+

People in the East of England at mid-2025 (ONS)

0.65%

Population growth to mid-2025, second only to the North West (ONS)

District and unitary councils across six counties

What Friendship Looks Like in the East of England

The East of England has more than 6.6 million residents, and only the North West added people faster in the latest year of ONS estimates. A good part of the region was shaped by planned growth: Stevenage and Harlow were among the first new towns built after the Second World War, and Peterborough was expanded as a new town in the decades that followed. In places like these, many neighbours arrived from somewhere else, and a residents’ group, a school gate or a sports club can turn into a circle fairly quickly. Further east, Norfolk and Suffolk are more rural, and friendships tend to grow through clubs, churches and village halls. Our local pages, listed below, span all six counties, from Cambridge and Colchester to Norwich and Luton, so you can start with the place you live.

Two Reads About Friendship, Worth Your Time

UK Friendship Statistics: Clear Numbers Behind the Loneliness Epidemic

Real UK friendship statistics on loneliness — and why so many women are quietly finding this harder than they expected.

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Best Friendship Apps in the UK: A Genuine Way to Find Your New Best Friend

A clear, honest comparison of the best friendship apps UK has to offer — Gofrendly, Peanut and Bumble BFF — and how to actually start making friends through them.

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A Note From the Editorial Team

For Gofrendly, Claudia Gard and Ulrika Lilja wrote this guide to the East of England, from towns built after the war to the villages of Norfolk and Suffolk, and how friendships start in each.