'We can combat social isolation with conversation'

A cafe owner on the Isle of Man has begun opening the doors to his business under a different guise to help combat isolation and loneliness.

Tim Brogan runs Gourmet Shakes N Snacks and said he had seen a "phenomenal" change in social behaviour over the past decade or so.

To encourage more interaction, he has launched a weekly two-hour evening opening at his Douglas cafe to encourage people to engage in conversation, or just spend time among others.

He said while he understood attending could be daunting for some, "the first step is everything".

Under the initiative, there would be "conversation starters on the tables" he said, that would also have colour-coded plaques to distinguish between people who wanted to engage and those who would prefer to sit quietly.

Having worked in the hospitality industry for 20 years, Brogan said he had noticed a change in his customers.

People had become less likely to make conversation with strangers, and "even families are quiet when they come out now", he said.

"The changes in the last 10 to 15 years has been phenomenal".

It was a change he attributed largely to technology and social media, which he said he had "taken a step back from" himself in recent times.

He said that was "not because of drama" but he had realised "talking to people online isn't the same as talking to people in real life".

In creating the weekly sessions, he said, he wanted to provide "a safe space where people can come in and have a conversation".

Brogan, who has had experience with local mental health charity Ed Space, would also be donating 50p from the sale of every coffee during the conversation sessions to the organisation.

Brogan said he hoped the sessions would reach people before "crisis point" and that other cafes might adopt the idea too.

"We're trying to reach people before they get to that stage - before they start feeling isolated, before they start feeling lonely - and before their mental health starts to suffer," he said.

"Talking to people face-to-face is really important."

The conversation sessions take place each Wednesday from 18:00 GMT.

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