With the cost of living soaring, a decent social life or a carefree existence have become a pipedream for many young people. As a result, the hospitality sector is being hit hard, and the ‘loneliness epidemic’ is intensifying.
I think a big factor in this is a reduction in affordable “third places”. A place that isnt home, isn’t work, but is part of your community and free or very cheap to exist in and socialize. It can be a cafe, a library, or a games store that hosts events.
Part of our problem is even if these places exist, they are getting harder to access and afford as they are only really accesible by car. When the cafe is only a pleasant 5 minute walk, you’d find yourself there more often than 15 minutes in traffic and having to spend money just to get there. The prices are also increasing due to the real estate/land value crisis, maintaince taxes for all the roads and parking lots, and monopoly competition.
I think a big factor in this is a reduction in affordable “third places”. A place that isnt home, isn’t work, but is part of your community and free or very cheap to exist in and socialize. It can be a cafe, a library, or a games store that hosts events.
Part of our problem is even if these places exist, they are getting harder to access and afford as they are only really accesible by car. When the cafe is only a pleasant 5 minute walk, you’d find yourself there more often than 15 minutes in traffic and having to spend money just to get there. The prices are also increasing due to the real estate/land value crisis, maintaince taxes for all the roads and parking lots, and monopoly competition.