'There's no reason for people to be lonely'

For 38 years, Rob McClearly was a black-cab driver in London, spending his days chatting to locals, tourists and celebrities.

When the time came for him to retire, the sociable cabbie was reluctant to go from a life of near-constant socialising to what he feared could become a lonely existence.

"I was always meeting different people every day, so retirement did worry me at first, the idea of stopping completely."

Two years ago, Rob and his wife were among the first residents to move into the Appleby Blue Almshouse, designed to combat loneliness among the over-65s.

"If I'd known what it would be like, I would have retired earlier," Rob said.

"There's no reason for people to be lonely. I've made many friends and I'm still making friends to this day.

"Living here gets you away from the stigma of sitting around, drinking pots of tea and looking out the window."

Almshouses have existed for over 1,000 years, and were established to provide a place of sanctuary for people in need.

The Appleby Blue Almshouse in Bermondsey opened in July 2023, and won this year's prestigious Royal Institute of British Architects' Stirling Prize for Britain's best new building.

It has 59 flats for those aged over 65, with communal facilities including a roof garden, courtyard and community kitchen.

Nick Phillips, CEO of the Almshouse Association, said the "spirit of the almshouses goes right back to the medieval period".

"The almshouse model is about providing a warm, safe, secure home where you know your neighbours."

Mr Phillips said that much modern architecture was devoid of what he called "bumping opportunities" - the chance to bump into other people.

"When you live in a community like Appleby Blue, you can't help but bump into your neighbours.

"If you compare that to modern developments, I've heard of people who have bought new homes who say they can drive to their front door without ever meeting their neighbours."

Mr Phillips added that social aspects of everyday life had also been reduced, such as in shops.

"If you go into a shop where people used to bump into their neighbours, you now might not even talk to a shopkeeper."

Amy Brown, resident support manager at the Appleby Blue Almshouse, said that such social interaction could make a world of difference, particularly to older people.

"Saying hello to somebody on their way out to the shops can make such a big difference, sometimes a bigger difference than major social events."

According to the Greater London Authority, about 700,000 Londoners say they are lonely most or all of the time.

This is a bigger issue than in the rest of England, and particularly affects disabled and low-income Londoners.

Mr Phillips said that although there were growing numbers of people living alone, nobody chose this.

"London is an example of where people are disseminated to find work, and the cost of housing is so high that it drives people out of their communities to find cheaper housing elsewhere.

"This is splitting up families from the extended families which used to exist."

Meanwhile, Rob said that his Christmas message to those experiencing loneliness was to "get out there and meet people".

"Don't lock yourself away at home; pick up the phone and talk to someone, and just enjoy yourself as much as you can."

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