December 2025 · Day one
Dean made himself a promise.
Every night that month, he would go to a pub, sit at a table with empty chairs around him and create a space where anyone could come and have a conversation.
How Empty Chairs began
Our
story.
It began with Dean, his best mate Rob and the hope that one empty chair might help somebody feel less alone.
One friendship. One loss. One place to start.
A place at the table
A simple community idea.
Book a small table in a pub, leave a few chairs empty, and make it easy for anyone to join for a chat.
It’s just a friendly table where you can sit down and talk to someone. Come for five minutes, stay for an hour, or head off whenever you’re ready.
- Not a club
- Not therapy
- Not networking
- No agenda
- No pressure
No big speeches. No awkward icebreakers. Just a seat at the table.
Why it exists
It started with Rob.
In late 2025, Dean Perryman lost his best mate Rob to suicide. Dean had to come to terms with the grief and guilt of losing his best friend.
Grief can be isolating — and it can also make you notice how many people are quietly carrying their own things alone.
Dean didn’t have a grand plan. He simply wanted to do something that might help one person who needed somewhere to go and someone to talk to.
The first idea wasn’t to build a movement. It was to be there for one person.
Where it came from
From one table to something bigger.
Empty Chairs grew one small decision at a time. Sit down. Leave a chair free. See what happens next.
December 2025 · Day four
Somebody sat down.
At first, unsurprisingly, nobody came. Dean’s friends at Chicken Rush let him use their social media platform to share what he was doing.
On day four, in Benfleet, Essex, the first person came and sat down at an Empty Chairs table.
26 January 2026 · Rob’s 30th birthday
Dean asked others to take a seat.
Ahead of what would have been Rob’s 30th birthday, Dean asked whether anyone else would wear an orange hoodie, sit in their local pub and create the same space for people in their community.
What happened next
The empty chairs began to fill.
Thirteen people said yes. That was the moment Empty Chairs became something bigger than one person sitting in a pub.
2,000+
Empty Chairs events held
25+
countries reached
Every one of them started with the same thing: an empty chair and the hope that somebody who needed it might choose to sit down.
Connection doesn’t need a perfect plan. It just needs a place to start.
What the idea looks like today
Still simple. Still for anyone.
The movement has grown, but what happens at the table hasn’t changed.
A table
A few chairs are intentionally left free in a pub, café or other public venue.
No sign-up
There is no pressure, no booking and no expectation that you stay.
Come as you are
Come alone, bring a friend, stay for an hour or simply say hello and leave.
Share only what you want
Tables are welcoming and respectful. You never have to share anything personal.
Boundaries & safety
Connection, not crisis support.
Empty Chairs is designed to be low-pressure. You’re always allowed to step away, take a break or leave. If something doesn’t feel right, trust that feeling.
Hosts are not trained professionals. Empty Chairs is not therapy, counselling or a crisis service. If you need urgent help, please contact Samaritans free on 116 123 in the UK, or call emergency services.
Read our safety and support guidanceThere is a place for you
The next empty chairs could be in your town.
Join an Empty Chairs near you, or help create the same welcoming space for people in your community.