
There’s a concept that was coined by sociologist Ray Oldenberg, that in life we have such things as ‘third places.’
In other words, places where people spend time between home ('first' place) and work ('second' place).
Chances are, we hadn’t really given much thought to the significance of these places that we used to visit almost as habitually as our homes and offices… until now!
With ‘third places’ now off limits…we realise just how important they are (were), for enjoyment, building relationships, and as a contrast to the structured and private natures of work and home.
Cafes, bars and restaurants play an important part in nurturing social connections, which makes them essential for building strong relationships and communities, and for ‘maintaining a view of oneself as part of something larger.’
The idea of a ‘community living room’ is one that we can probably all relate to, and these are likely the first places we will visit when lockdown is lifted.
For these places, there may be a growing concern as to whether their once loyal customer base will ever return when this is all over, so let’s give them a virtual nod of reassurance on social media, and look forward to the day when we can return to these home-from-homes we so miss!