It’s been…an interesting couple of years. Cut off by COVID from friends, family, and the Great British pub, it’s no wonder a pent-up outpouring of socialising occurred from the moment rules allowed. But where to start organising your social diary to catch up with friends – near and far – for a pint, a party, or a picnic?
This is where the social networking app Loose Ends is about to change your life! Ok, improve your social life. This brilliant app, created by Daniel Lewis, was built to connect people with their friends and make it easier and less daunting to make plans to meet up.
Frustrated, pre-pandemic, by finding himself with free time – ie, at a loose end – which could have been spent with friends who were also available, Daniel created Loose Ends to connect mates who would like to socialise more regularly with a broader section of their friendship group.
Through the app, users connect and make plans through posts called Loose Ends. As soon as you fire up the app for the first time, you will see Loose Ends that have been created by your friends. Joining these takes two taps and from there you can chat with them to fine-tune the details. If you can’t see any Loose Ends you fancy joining, you can create one of your own. To create a Loose End, simply post the time and location you are free. From there, friends can join the Loose End and together you finalise plans through the intuitive app.
But don’t we already have WhatsApp and text messages to do this kind of thing, you ask? Well, yes, but how quickly do those get out of hand? One minute you’re suggesting meeting in Soho at 6 pm, the next minute five different people are countering with ‘no, I want to do Finsbury Park at 5 pm, or, ‘are you sure it can’t be Stockwell at 7 pm?’ or…you get the picture. This way, there’s a definitive time and place suggested, and your friends are either up for it, or they’re not; in, or out. Think of Loose Ends as like WhatsApp, but without the banter and baby pictures.
The app design is user-friendly and easy for anyone to download. Loose Ends uses your phone’s contact list to build your initial friendship group – so you don’t need to build it from scratch. No need to throw a plaintive suggestion, like ‘anyone up for a beer?’ on Facebook – now you can make plans with just the friends you want to spend time with.
Once you’ve connected with your friends, the app will give you a choice of thousands of activities to do. Loose Ends uses Google Maps to highlight venues near you and beyond. If Google has heard of it, so has Loose Ends.
You’ll also be able to take advantage of the Loose Ends offer database – keeping you up-to-date with the latest food and drink offers in your area.
If you’re up looking for somewhere to eat or just a park to picnic in, you’ll be pointed in the right direction. It’s also easy to make your own suggestions, so if you’re pining for a cheeky Nando’s, looking for a fourth to join your pub quiz team or you just feel like a cuppa and a chat, you can make it all happen through Loose Ends.
The coolest thing about Loose Ends is that it puts you in touch with your friends that are interested in doing the same kind of things as you. On top of that, it might put you back in contact with long-lost pals by giving you the chance to bond over newfound interests.
Daniel Lewis, the founder of the social networking app Loose Ends, says, “Our research shows that friendships have really suffered in the last year and many people have found it difficult to get back together after lockdown. But now, even though restrictions are ending and people are getting over their nervousness about socialising, we’ve found that awkwardness is an obstacle to getting back out there.”
“But a social networking app like Loose Ends can really help. Why not free up an evening in your diary and get in contact with a few of these long-lost friends? You’ve got more chance of someone being available. And if a few people can make it at the same time, even better! Any app that smooths that process has got to be a good thing. And Loose Ends is particularly good at this because the invitation and organisation are done in one. No vague messages about when you are getting together just set a date you can do, and see what happens…”
The app is available now for Android and IOS, it’s free and it takes less than two minutes to get started. So if you’re doing nothing interesting right now, why not give Loose Ends a try and you could be organising something amazing by the end of that Friends episode.
For more information, please contact Daniel Lewis on 07793-868387
daniel@looseendsapp.co.uk
