- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Paisley, between Barshaw Park and the Abbey
Single-person homes are unusually common in Paisley, and its Central Library, opened in 2023, has a knitting group on the first Friday of every month.
79,300+
Paisley’s usual residents, per NRS locality data from the 2022 census
44%
of Paisley households have one resident, against 37% for Scotland (NRS Census 2022)
26%
of Paisley households are social renters, set against 22% for Scotland (Census 2022)
Paisley sews on Wednesday afternoons
Sewing Time at Paisley’s Central Library, 22 High Street, every Wednesday from 2pm to 4.30pm with three free machines and no booking, is a practical way to make friends in Paisley. The library, which opened over four floors of a former shop building in 2023, also runs a knitting group on first Fridays and a writing group on third Mondays. Paisley women can find company for any of them on Gofrendly.
Paisley: the questions worth asking first
Which adult groups run at Paisley’s Central Library?
The Central Library in Paisley runs a drop-in Knitting Group on the first Friday of the month, Sewing Time every Wednesday afternoon, the Open Book Writing Group on third Mondays and an adult Writers’ Group on the fourth Tuesday evening. All suit Paisley residents looking for regular company.
What is at Barshaw Park in Paisley?
Barshaw Park on Glasgow Road opened in 1912 and is Renfrewshire’s biggest park. It has a Walled Garden cared for by the Friends of Barshaw Park, two playgrounds, a café, a free BMX track, a pond used by Paisley Model Yacht Club and a summer model railway.
When will Paisley Museum reopen?
Paisley Museum on the High Street is closed for a major redevelopment. OneRen says the fit-out finishes this year and the museum will open early in the new year, free to visit, with more than 1,250 objects, the Coats Observatory, a café and gardens in Paisley.
How do Paisley women who live alone meet people?
Gofrendly, the women-only friendship app, puts Paisley women in contact with neighbours, opening with a few messages. In a town where 44% of homes hold one person, a standing plan, like Wednesday Sewing Time or a Barshaw Park walk, keeps the week from emptying out.
Paisley, a Renfrewshire town of single households
Across the Paisley locality, some 44 homes in 100 have a single occupant and about 26% are socially rented, each clearly above the national picture. Living solo, a full working week can still end with nothing planned, so build in a couple of standing arrangements that do not depend on anyone texting first: a library group, a Saturday walk, a weekly swim at the Lagoon on Christie Street, where the pool has a flume and a separate teaching pool.
Coming home to a quiet flat every night can turn lonely, even after a crowded day. Barshaw Park, opened in 1912 and Renfrewshire’s biggest, has a walled garden looked after by volunteers and a café, Gleniffer Braes has waymarked trails to Craigielinn Waterfall, and Paisley Town Hall, reopened in 2023, has a full autumn season. Paisley Abbey, where worship goes back to 1163, offers £5 guided tours on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons, and the Open Book Writing Group meets at the library on third Mondays. Where to start:
1
Paisley Central Library, opened in 2023 over four floors.
2
Barshaw Park and its Walled Garden.
3
Gleniffer Braes Country Park.
4
Paisley Abbey and its guided tours.
5
Lagoon Leisure Centre on Christie Street.
LOCAL TIP
Bring unfinished mending along to Sewing Time and someone at the next machine may have the trick you need.
How to
Paisley: ways to meet people every week
1
Join the Open Book Writing Group on the third Monday of the month.
2
Volunteer with the Friends of Barshaw Park in the Walled Garden.
3
Run or walk Linwood parkrun, about five kilometres away, on a Saturday.
4
Book two Town Hall seats after a few messages with a Paisley match on Gofrendly.
Two real friendships, two different routes
Paisley: a guide from our two founders
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja shaped this Paisley guide, which the editors then tidied, for readers living alone in the town who want a few friends within reach.
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.