- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 21, 2026
Make Friends After 40 in Arnold for Nights In Between
Gedling, the borough around Arnold, has a slightly higher proportion of 40-to-49s than the wider region, so a jazz night or comedy evening here will have company your age.
7,900+
Gedling borough, home to Arnold: estimated number of women in their forties (ONS, 2025)
13%
Gedling’s 40-to-49 share; regionally the proportion is 12% (mid-2025 estimates, ONS)
14,800+
people in their forties counted in Gedling at the 2021 census (ONS)
Arnold evenings between the sofa and a big night out
Lots of Arnold women in their 40s would like evenings livelier than the sofa but gentler than a late night in town. The Bonington Theatre on the High Street hosts Jazz Steps on alternate Thursday evenings and a Comedy Hotspot night, Runspire runs Couch to 5K courses at Arnold Leisure Centre, and Redhill Road Runners meet on Mondays and Wednesdays. Gofrendly shows Arnold women nearby.
Arnold evening questions
What can 40-something women do in Arnold in the evening?
The Bonington Theatre on Arnold High Street has Jazz Steps on alternate Thursday evenings at 7.30pm and a Comedy Hotspot stand-up night, with the next show on 6 November. It sits inside Arnold Leisure Centre, so an evening there is local, ends at a reasonable time and can easily become a habit.
Can complete beginners learn to run in Arnold?
Runspire Together’s ten-week Couch to 5K courses in Arnold meet on Thursdays at 7.15pm inside Arnold Leisure Centre and are aimed at complete beginners. You can pay as you go or book the whole course, so ask when the next one starts and plan a drink with the group afterwards.
Which running club in Arnold takes adults of all abilities?
Redhill Road Runners meet at the Young People’s Centre at Redhill Leisure Centre in Arnold every Monday and Wednesday at 6pm and set off at 6.10pm, led by qualified coaches. The club describes itself as open to adults whatever their age or ability, so newer runners are welcome.
Finding friends in Arnold for an evening out: where to start?
Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app, shows Arnold women nearby and lets you introduce yourself before meeting. A jazz night or a comedy show gives a first meeting a ready-made topic, and an Arnold venue close to home means nobody has a long trip back afterwards.
Arnold friendships somewhere between staying in and going out
There is a stage in your forties when clubbing has lost its appeal, but staying in every night is not the answer either. What many of us want is a plan with a start and an end, a bit of atmosphere and someone to share it with. Arnold has more of that within walking distance than you might expect, from live jazz to a running group that finishes in time for supper.
Across Gedling borough, roughly one person in eight is in their forties, which means a Thursday jazz night or a beginners run will probably include plenty of women your age. Evenings can feel lonely when friends have settled into routines you no longer share. To make friends after 40 here, choose something that repeats, such as a fortnightly jazz night or a weekly run, and go back often enough to recognise the regulars and be recognised in turn. Ideas to try:
1
Jazz Steps at the Bonington Theatre on Arnold High Street, on alternate Thursday evenings at 7.30pm through the autumn.
2
Comedy Hotspot, a stand-up night at the Bonington Theatre, with the next show on 6 November at 8pm.
3
Runspire Arnold Couch to 5K, ten-week courses on Thursdays at 7.15pm from Arnold Leisure Centre, for complete beginners.
4
Redhill Road Runners, meeting at the Young People’s Centre at Redhill Leisure Centre on Mondays and Wednesdays at 6pm.
5
Bestwood Country Park, a short drive north-west, home to the Saturday 9am Bestwood Village parkrun.
LOCAL TIP
Book two tickets and find the second person this week.
How to
Four Arnold ideas for evenings worth going out for
1
Buy a ticket for a Jazz Steps evening at the Bonington and invite someone you would like to know better.
2
Ask Runspire when its next Thursday evening Couch to 5K starts, and keep the post-run coffee as part of the plan.
3
Message an Arnold woman on Gofrendly and suggest the next comedy night instead of a coffee.
4
Try a Monday run with Redhill Road Runners, which welcomes adults of all ages and abilities.
Nights out, and the friends to share them
Written for evenings in Arnold
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja wrote this Arnold evenings page, with editing by our team, for anyone wanting nights with music, laughter or a run, and new people to share them with.
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.