Nextdoor launches in neighbourhoods across the UK

New research shows almost half of Brits no longer feel connected to their neighbourhood

London, September 14, 2016 – Nextdoor (nextdoor.co.uk), the free and private social network for neighbourhoods, today announced that it is launching across the UK. This launch marks the largest international expansion for Nextdoor, and the product has been fully localised for the UK on Web, iOS, and Android devices. The UK expansion comes as new research shows that 45% of Brits – or around 23 million UK adults – no longer feel connected to the place they live.

During a successful four month beta period, Nextdoor has been embraced in cities, towns and villages all across the UK, with over 250 neighbourhoods in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland already using the platform to build stronger and safer places to call home. In fact, more than 10% of London neighbourhoods are already utilising Nextdoor to come together and help each other – building a greater sense of community across the capital.

Nirav Tolia, Co-Founder and CEO of Nextdoor, said:

“Launching in the UK is a major step because it is the gateway to Europe for technology companies, and therefore one of the most strategic markets in the world. Brexit has changed nothing for us – the UK is a wonderful place to do business and remains the bedrock of our plans for international expansion. The strong response from hundreds of neighbourhoods across the UK during a successful beta period shows that Brits yearn to reconnect with their local communities – and Nextdoor is the product that will make it happen.”

On Nextdoor, neighbours create online communities for their neighbourhoods where they can ask questions, get to know one another, and exchange local advice and recommendations. Its use has spread to over 112,000 neighbourhoods in the United States. Over 1,600 government agencies use the service to communicate directly with local communities.

Now, Nextdoor will help break the ice between neighbours across the UK, and has already been used to organise street parties and events, share recommendations for babysitters or restaurants, find lost pets or start new fitness clubs. As Nextdoor’s presence in the UK grows, it is expected to offer new opportunities for neighbourhoods to interact with public services and local government.

Luke Pearce, Founding Member and Lead of Nextdoor Oval in London said:

“Our neighbourhood has been really excited to be one of the first areas to use Nextdoor. It’s just an easier way to create that sense of community. So far, we have used Nextdoor to find running partners, plan a neighbourhood social, and discuss safety concerns. We’re seeing new members signing up every day.”

New research shows Brits craving greater community spirit

In a study of more than 2,000 people across the UK conducted in August 2016, a third of Brits don’t know any of their neighbours, and less than half believe there is a still sense of community spirit in their neighbourhood. Just 12% of Brits feel strongly connected to their community, and 10% – or families living in roughly 2.6 million households – can’t even name their next-door neighbour.

However, the overwhelming majority of British people (69%) clearly crave a sense of community, believing that it would make where they live friendlier and increase property values, but also help neighbours feel safer and reduce crime.

Nick Lisher, Nextdoor’s Country Manager for the United Kingdom, said:

“In a country that some worry has become more divided, the yearning to come together to create better neighbourhoods is stronger than ever. Nextdoor is already making it easier for neighbours to find lost pets, borrow power tools, share homegrown fruit and vegetables, and organise get-togethers.”

On 17th and 18th September, more than 30 Nextdoor communities will be hosting neighbourhood picnics across the UK to celebrate building stronger neighbourhoods. Nextdoor is free for neighbours everywhere. To sign up for Nextdoor, visit nextdoor.co.uk or download the free apps for iPhone or Android.

Notes to editors

• Survey commissioned by Nextdoor via Onepoll with a 2,000 representative sample across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in September 2016. A link to the full research findings: nextdoor.co.uk/newsroom/#statistics
• For additional information and images, visit: nextdoor.co.uk/newsroom

About Nextdoor.com, Inc.

Nextdoor (nextdoor.co.uk) is the private social network for neighbourhoods. Using Nextdoor’s platform, available on the Web and on mobile devices, neighbours create private online communities where they get to know one another, ask questions, exchange advice and recommendations, and address crime and safety concerns. More than 112,000 neighbourhoods across the United States are using Nextdoor to build stronger and safer places to call home, and over 25% of Dutch neighbourhoods now use the service in the Netherlands, following launch earlier in 2016.

Headquartered in San Francisco, Calif., Nextdoor is a privately-held company with the backing of prominent investors, including Benchmark, Greylock Partners, Tiger Global Management, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, and others.