Speaking at MA Leaders in Glasgow earlier this month, Perryman explained how the campaign began after he lost his best friend Rob to suicide in November last year.
Perryman started going to the pub every day in December, wearing an orange jumper, in the hope of creating a space where someone who needed a conversation could find one.
“If I could just give them the opportunity to have a conversation that maybe Rob might have needed on that day, I could have gone on with my life in whatever way,” he told delegates.
Join our new WhatsApp channel: The Morning Round-Up
Get the biggest pub trade stories straight to your phone. Listen to our one-minute daily news briefing and receive breaking news, exclusives and sector updates throughout the day. Remember to turn notifications on in the top right corner!
After posting about the idea online, people began turning up. On what would have been Rob’s 30th birthday at the end of January, Perryman asked whether others would be willing to wear orange, visit their local pub and create the same kind of space.
Rapid growth
Fourteen people took part that day. Since then, Empty Chairs has grown rapidly and is now active in 15 countries, with around 70 events taking place each week in the UK.
Perryman said around 95% of Empty Chairs events take place in pubs, although some hosts choose cafes or other venues, particularly where alcohol may not be appropriate for them.
He said pubs work because they are already places where people expect to find conversation and community.
“Everyone is so desperate for the pub to be what everyone wants the pub to be, which is a community hub,” he said.
Perryman said pubs can get involved by registering interest, offering a welcoming space for hosts, and ensuring teams understand what Empty Chairs is trying to achieve.
Some pubs have approached the campaign directly, while others have hosted events after local volunteers came forward.
Driving weekday trade
He added that Mondays have become the busiest day for Empty Chairs events, meaning there could be an opportunity for pubs to support the initiative during traditionally quieter trading periods.
While the campaign does not require people to sign up or spend money, Perryman said established groups can attract around 16 people per event, with the biggest hosted outside his own events attracting 16 people. His largest personally hosted event saw 72 people attend.
He said the campaign has attracted people across a wide age range, from 18 to 87, and now sees a broadly even gender split.
Perryman said many people attending were in their 20s and 30s, suggesting the campaign could also help younger adults reconnect with pubs as social spaces.
“I think everyone is so desperate for some form of community, and I think everyone wants the pub to be the place that offers it,” he said.
He added that the campaign had shown him the “kindness of strangers”, with more than 2,000 people signing up to support Empty Chairs.
Looking ahead, Perryman said the campaign was on track to have an Empty Chairs presence in every UK town by the end of the year.
He also hopes to expand the initiative into pubs near football grounds, particularly to reach men and people working in manual trades, who he said were at greater risk of suicide.
Perryman said he would continue the campaign regardless of how large it becomes.
“For me it’s a lovely opportunity to remember Rob,” he said. “It’s so incredible to just have conversations with strangers in a really meaningful way.”
