The great British switch-off: how floating retreats, mobile-free pubs and sauna book groups are freeing people from their smartphones
Sick of doomscrolling? From venues with smartphone swear jars to cabins with absolutely no signal, here are the fun and freeing ways to ditch your device There’s a ritual at the start of every event hosted by the Offline Project . Run by Pelé Zachariah, the activities vary – it could be a group walk, a collage‑making class or a supper club – but each one begins in the same way, *with an…
The Offline Project, led by Pelé Zachariah, hosts screen-free events in London since August 2025. Participants are invited to hand over their phones at the beginning of each activity, which include group walks, collage-making classes, and supper clubs. The devices are placed in a lockbox, and once all phones are in, the door is closed and locked.
Zachariah emphasizes the importance of physically putting away the phone, allowing attendees to fully engage in the present moment. First-timers may feel uncomfortable or uneasy without their phones initially, but often come to appreciate the experience and realize how much they needed the break from their devices.
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