NORTHERN PLANNER

If always had a soft spot for Morrissey. I like the way he’s never really changed all these years, he’s always had this endearing mix of searing honesty and, well, daftness.

Many of his songs show a real insight into people’s lives. ‘Hold on to Your Friends’ is a prime example and has never been more relevant.

As groups of friends begin to settle down with partners, it gets harder to meet up. There’s two families to see, you start having friends who are couples, you have to spend time with your partner’s friends too. Not to mention the fact that as you get older, you’ve less energy after work to simply do stuff. It’s easy to lose touch.

But what happens if the relationship ends? Unfortunately, many do. Suddenly, people are finding themselves with no one. And if they’ve been fortunate enough to keep in touch with people, they’re still attached. So we’re seeing a growing number of people over 30 who suddenly find that they’ve nobody to see a film with, or share a drink. I wanted to see ‘Good night and Good Luck’, but everyone I knew didn’t, so I went on my own. I still cringe at the distinct awkwardness of buying just one ticket.

And it’s not like being in school, college and early jobs, where there was a ready made pool of potential friends. I’m not talking about romance either, just the simple pleasure of sharing everyday experiences with other people.

This is going to mean that dating agencies are going to face competition from companies that help people simply build new social groups, that faciliate social situations for you. It makes me wonder how brands might be more relavant to people’s lives in the very near future. How long it will be before more of them provide experiences that get people together or help them stay in touch in the first place ?