A great escape The club where people switch off - and connect

For some of us, being without our smartphones for a few hours prompts panic. Think of all the messages we would miss. For others, however, going off-grid sounds like pure bliss.

- Sammy Gecsoyler

Now, those looking to escape "doomscrolling" can go cold turkey - for a few hours at least.

The Offline Club, which has made a name for itself by hosting phone-free hangouts in Amsterdam, has brought its concept to London. On Wednesday, the Guardian visited one of the company's no-phone zones, held in a church in West Hampstead, north London.

Attendees were greeted with a grand, Instagrammable display of dangling fairy lights and statues of saints backlit by neon signs.

Those hoping to capture the scene on their phone cameras had to be quick, however, as devices were locked away shortly after arrival.

Some people wanted to unwind alone and meditate or catch up on a book without peeking at their phones. For others, the event meant something deeper - a chance to make meaningful connections in a world where opportunities to do so are increasingly fleeting.

"When I walked in I was nervous," said Jayren Malijan, 20. The fledgling perfumer, who recommends scents on TikTok, came to the event alone. "I came to make new friends," he said. "People complain that they're lonely but they're not willing to go out and make an effort to not feel lonely."

Malijan said a reliance on phones was creating "a lot of introverts".