Pizza & Perspectives: Shaping Age-Friendly Hospitality in Surrey

How can our local pubs, cafés, and social spaces become more welcoming to everyone — especially our older neighbours?

Join Associate Professor Lorna Wang from the University of Surrey’s School of Hospitality and Tourism Management for a unique community event, showcasing her ESRC IAA-funded Age-Inclusive Hospitality (AiH) research. This pioneering project has been exploring how local hospitality venues can support healthier, more socially connected communities, and how their often-overlooked social value can be better recognised and sustained.

Over complimentary pizza and soft drinks, you’ll:

Have the opportunity to shape the brand-new ‘Welcome ALL’ training animation

Take part in round-table conversations about why people do — and don’t — use local hospitality venues

Explore how the 'Welcome ALL toolkit' can help make these venues more age-friendly and inclusive

Hear from researchers from Toynbee Hall, and local community guest speakers, about real-life challenges and success stories

Reflect on last year’s event, which pledged to work towards Guildford becoming a national age-inclusive community

Have your say on whether a pilot ‘age-friendly’ scheme in Guildford venues could make a real difference

Dr Lorna Wang, University of Surrey

This event is especially relevant for older residents, hospitality staff and venue managers in Surrey, community organisations, and local policy influencers — but everyone is welcome. 

It’s a chance to have your voice heard, shape positive change in your community, and help reimagine the role of local venues as places where all generations can thrive together.

as above