A HEREFORD nightclub has welcomed a new report which found socialising in real life was more appealing than connecting with people on social media.

The quarterly Deltic Night Index, published by late night leisure leader The Deltic Group, which owns Play nightclub, tracks the late night leisure spending and social habits of more than 2,300 UK adults.

It has revealed that the most sociable generation are 18 to 21 year olds, who are looking for ‘In Real Life’ experiences which they can post about on their social media accounts.

Overall 69.1 per cent of Brits said going out and spending time with people in real life was more important than connecting with people on social media.

Chris Green of Play, on Blue School Street, said: “We know from our own experience the value our customers place on having great nights out with partners, friends and colleagues.

“Social media is important of course and many like to share and post about their lives online but they also appreciate the fun to be had from bonding in the real world rather than the virtual one.

"This latest research underlines what we see on a regular basis, you can’t beat spending time socialising with people in real life and creating memorable experiences.”

The Deltic Night Index also found that people were prepared to spend more on a night out, with the average spend up 18.8 per cent to £70.56 year on year, including pre-drinks and transport.

The report found that just over half (55.2 per cent) of respondents went on a night out at least once a week, down slightly from 56.3 per cent last year.

But the figure was much higher among 18 to 30 year-olds, as 73 per cent said they go on a night out at least once a week.

In general the pub remains the most popular destination with spending on cinema trips on the increase. Clubs are the go-to venue for 18 to 21 year-olds with 28.2 per cent saying this was the late night leisure activity they spent the most money on each month, followed by the pub, at 21.4 per cent.

For those aged 22 to 25, there was a more even split between clubs and bars of 17.2 per cent and 17.8 per cent respectively.