Brits swap scrolling for socialising

Remember renting a film from Blockbuster, calling your friends on the house phone, recording songs off the radio and spending a night out actually talking to the people you were with? While it might seem like days gone by, many of us are looking back fondly on those simpler times and rediscovering the social habits that defined life before smartphones.

New research by The Bingo Association reveals nostalgia is driving a wider shift away from “always-on” lifestyles. Seven in 10 (70%) Brits say they are looking for activities that help them switch off and spend quality time together, while 51% are actively trying to cut back on-screen time. Nearly three-quarters (73%) believe friendships felt closer before the age of social media, and 65% go as far as to say mobile phones have ruined nights out.

The research – released ahead of National Bingo Week, which runs from 22nd June to 28th June – shows four in 10 (41%) miss a time before smartphones dominated daily life. Many (41%) also believe people spent more time socialising face-to-face and that nights out were centred around shared experiences rather than social media content.

Aston spoke to Nicole Garrett, CEO of The Bingo Association and bingo caller Benj Maycock.