- Women only
- Friendship, not dating
- Free to join
- Local guide
- October 19, 2026
Make Friends in Burton upon Trent, Brewing Town on the River
The 1889 Ferry Bridge carries walkers over the Trent to Stapenhill Gardens, and 24% of Burton upon Trent households live in privately rented homes.
74,300+
Burton upon Trent residents across ten wards, Anglesey to Winshill, Branston excluded (Census 2021, ONS)
24%
privately rented Burton upon Trent households; West Midlands figure 18% (Census 2021)
29%
people in Burton upon Trent aged between 25 and 44, compared with 25% for the region (ONS)
Burton upon Trent reads together on Wednesdays
The shared reading group at Burton Library, on alternate Wednesday afternoons where members bring a poem or passage, is a thoughtful way to make friends in Burton upon Trent. The library also hosts the Leafturners book club and a Tuesday sewing circle, the Victorian Market Hall reopened from Thursday to Saturday in May 2026, and Stapenhill Gardens follows the river for 1,250 metres. Gofrendly helps Burton upon Trent women meet, too.
Burton upon Trent: river, Market Hall and library
Is Burton Market Hall open again?
Yes. Burton Market Hall on Market Place reopened on 28 May 2026 after a £1.49m roof replacement and trades from Thursday to Saturday on an interim basis. A bigger regeneration is planned from 2027, so check before visiting the Burton upon Trent hall.
What is the Ferry Bridge in Burton upon Trent?
The Ferry Bridge in Burton upon Trent is a semi-suspension footbridge from 1889 that crosses the River Trent to Stapenhill Gardens. The gardens run along 1,250 metres of riverbank with woodland, meadows and formal planting, and were among this summer’s Staffordshire Green Flag winners.
Which groups meet at Burton Library?
Burton Library runs a shared reading group every other Wednesday afternoon, the Leafturners book club every six weeks, a Tuesday sewing circle and a monthly Living with Loss social group. Several are drop-in sessions, which makes it easy for Burton upon Trent newcomers to try one.
Is there an easy way for Burton upon Trent women to meet neighbours?
Gofrendly, a women-only friendship app, shows Burton upon Trent women who else lives in their neighbourhood, from Stapenhill to Horninglow, and after a few messages you can pick a time to meet. Crossing the Ferry Bridge into Stapenhill Gardens is a pleasant first outing.
Burton upon Trent: friendship in a brewing town
Burton upon Trent built its name on brewing, and the river still shapes the town, with the 1889 Ferry Bridge and Stapenhill Gardens on the far bank. In ten Burton wards, roughly 24% of households rent privately while people in their late twenties to mid-forties account for some 29% of residents, each above regional levels. With so many younger adults renting and working, a weekly fixture you keep for yourself is how colleagues and neighbours become friends.
A brewing town in the middle of regeneration can feel lonely while familiar places are shut. The Market Hall has a new slate-and-glass roof, the Brewhouse Arts Centre on Union Street runs theatre, film and workshops, and Meadowside Leisure Centre keeps two pools in the town centre. Plans for the Old Brewery Quarter include a viewing platform on the Water Tower and a pilot brewery. The Brewhouse also screens dementia-friendly films on Fridays. Places to begin:
1
Burton Library, home to a shared reading group and the Leafturners.
2
Stapenhill Gardens across the Ferry Bridge, a 2026 Green Flag park.
3
The Market Hall on Market Place, open Thursday to Saturday.
4
The Brewhouse Arts Centre on Union Street.
5
Meadowside Leisure Centre, with its two pools.
LOCAL TIP
Join the Burton upon Trent shared reading group and bring a passage you love.
How to
Burton upon Trent: new people, new routines
1
Join the Library Leafturners book club, which meets every six weeks on Thursday evenings.
2
Book a workshop at the Brewhouse Arts Centre and swap numbers at the break.
3
Cross the Ferry Bridge with a Burton upon Trent woman you meet via Gofrendly.
4
Walk or jog Battlestead Croft parkrun, a short drive from town.
Two stories, one theme: friendship
Writing about Burton upon Trent and the Trent
Gofrendly founders Claudia Gård and Ulrika Lilja and our editorial colleagues produced this Burton upon Trent guide for Staffordshire women who rent, work shifts in town or want friends on both banks of the Trent.
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.
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