Empty Chairs, a community-led campaign encouraging people to gather at pub tables across the UK, has launched in Glasgow, with seats deliberately left open for those seeking connection. The initiative aims to ensure nobody has to sit alone.
Launch at Clockwork Pub
The global project has arrived in Glasgow's southside thanks to volunteer host Kirstie Cusick, 52, who has partnered with staff at the Clockwork Pub in Mount Florida to provide regular gatherings for those seeking to connect or simply chat.
Kirstie explained: "It's a blether in the pub with strangers – and sometimes having a blether with strangers can be easier than in a workplace or even with your family."
Origins and personal motivation
Kirstie, who works with mental health charity Penumbra, became involved after her husband heard about Empty Chairs on the radio. With a history of volunteering for mental health organisations including the Samaritans, she was seeking a way to support people locally after time in Australia with Roses in the Ocean, a suicide prevention organisation.
She said: "Dean, the founder of Empty Chairs, came up with this concept after losing his best friend Rob to suicide, and started it last December. He went into a local pub, put on a bright coloured top, booked a table, and opened himself up to conversations. I just thought it was a wonderful idea."
How the sessions work
Having hosted her fourth session, Kirstie says she hopes to run as many Sunday nights as possible, a time she notes can be tough for those feeling lonely. She stressed that no purchase is required: "You can just come along and sit with us for as long or as little as they like. Nobody needs to sign up."
Kirstie added: "I've done four sessions so far and at every session there has been people there. Even if just one person turns up, that to me is a success." While not counselling or crisis support, she says she can signpost people to other support if needed.
Upcoming sessions at the Clockwork run from 7pm to 8pm on Sundays: August 23, August 30, and September 6. For more information about sessions in Glasgow (Clockwork and Oran Mor), Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Elgin, Falkirk and beyond, visit the Empty Chairs website.
