- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Harlow, in the Town Park and beyond
Nearly three in ten Harlow homes are socially rented, almost double the regional share, in a new town planned for community life.
98,500+
residents of Harlow district, mid-2025 (ONS population estimate)
29%
of Harlow homes are social housing; the region averages 15% (Census 2021, ONS)
22%
of Harlow residents were 15 or under in 2021, against 19% regionally (ONS census)
Harlow has a 160-acre Town Park
The obvious place to make friends in Harlow is Harlow Town Park, more than 160 acres with Pets’ Corner, a bandstand and the Spurriers House Café, plus Town Park Volunteers who welcome help. Harlow parkrun starts in the park at 9am on Saturdays, and Harlow Museum and Walled Gardens on Muskham Road opens with no entry charge on selected days. Gofrendly helps Harlow women meet.
Harlow: making friends, your questions
What is in Harlow Town Park?
Harlow Town Park covers more than 160 acres and has Pets’ Corner, a bandstand, a walled garden and the Spurriers House Café. Town Park Volunteers help look after it, and the Saturday parkrun starts there at 9am, so it is easy to meet people in Harlow regularly.
Does Harlow Museum charge for entry?
No. Harlow Museum and Walled Gardens on Muskham Road has no entry charge and has opened on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, though it is worth checking the current days before you go. The gardens make a calm setting for a first stroll with a new Harlow friend.
When will Harlow's new market start?
Harlow’s Market Square in the town centre is being rebuilt, and the council has said a weekly market will launch there, with the day not yet announced. Once it starts, a regular market trip will be a natural way to see familiar faces in Harlow.
Harlow women: how do you meet friends nearby?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, lets Harlow women see who lives in their neighbourhood and send the first message. A walk in the Town Park or a coffee at Spurriers House is a relaxed first plan that you can easily repeat.
Harlow, a post-war new town
Harlow is a new town in west Essex, designed after the Second World War with neighbourhood centres, green wedges and a large landscaped park. Social housing makes up nearly three in ten homes, and children aged 15 or under over a fifth of residents, both well above the regional levels. The town was planned around shared spaces, and using them regularly is still one of the simplest ways to get to know the people who live near you, whether you grew up here or arrived recently.
It can feel lonely when every day is taken up with work and family. Harlow’s Town Park has volunteering, a café and the Saturday parkrun, and Parndon Wood Nature Reserve offers quieter walks. Once the works finish, the Market Square is set to host a weekly market, with the day still to be announced, which should add a new regular stop on the town’s calendar. Places to start:
1
Harlow Town Park, with Pets’ Corner, a bandstand and the Spurriers House Café.
2
Harlow parkrun in the Town Park, every Saturday at 9am.
3
Harlow Museum and Walled Gardens on Muskham Road, with no entry charge.
4
Parndon Wood Nature Reserve, an award-winning woodland.
5
Harlow Library on Cross Street in the town centre.
LOCAL TIP
A Saturday in the Town Park is the easiest way in.
How to
Harlow: meeting people in the new town
1
Join the Town Park Volunteers and get to know people outdoors.
2
Walk or run Harlow parkrun, then have a coffee at Spurriers House Café.
3
Message Harlow women on Gofrendly and explore the museum’s walled gardens as a pair.
4
Take the children to Pets’ Corner and strike up a conversation with another parent.
Feeling apart among friends, and a new best friend
Who wrote our Harlow new-town page
Our editors and Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote the Harlow page for women in the new town hoping for friends in their own neighbourhood.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Friendship looks different at every stage
More guides for women in this area – each with its own local advice.
Find women near you
See who’s nearby and say hi — it’s free to start.