The rise of the ‘meekend’: why Brits are craving weekends to themselves
- 8 in ten Brits say having a whole weekend to themselves is a luxury we all need once every so often, while 82% say regular alone time is important for wellbeing
- The perfect ‘meekend’ (having a whole weekend to yourself, doing what you want, when you want) includes solo adventures, nature walks and duvet days
- Lexicographer, Susie Dent discusses the meaning of ‘meekend’, why more people are embracing guilt-free time alone, and how new words emerge to reflect modern lifestyles and cultural shifts
‘Meekend’ – literally a me-weekend – means having a whole weekend to yourself, and linguist and TV personality Susie Dent is championing the new portmanteau in the hope that it gets added to the dictionary.
Just like ‘staycation’ and ‘brunch’ have entered mainstream language, famous lexicographer Susie believes that ‘meekend’ neatly encapsulates a modern lifestyle phenomenon – and we couldn’t agree more!
Our hub by Premier Inn hotels are all about making the most out of short city stays, so we decided to do a little research to find out how people feel about this new word, and the idea of having a few days off to do what you want, when you want.
80% of the 2000 adults we asked agreed that ‘me time’ is a luxury we all need once in a while. Almost half of those we asked hoped for a meekend at least once a month, and one in 10 wished every weekend included some alone time.
Almost a third would like to either spend time alone outdoors or enjoy a lie in, while one in five would actually just prefer to stay in bed all day, without any disturbances.
When it comes to solo breaks, 55% said they would enjoy travelling to a city alone for a weekend – with London and Edinburgh being voted as two top urban destinations. A further 22% already have a solo hotel trip booked to relax, recharge and feel refreshed.
Susie, who is working with our hub team, says: “Choosing to have time for oneself can feel very important in our everyday lives, so it makes sense to have a term that specifically encapsulates a solo weekend.
“Portmanteaux – mash-ups of existing words – have become increasingly popular over recent years, driven by social media and online culture. Once they take off, they often have a life of their own.
“My favourite portmanteau has to be chortle, a blend of ‘chuckle’ and ’snort’ and invented by Lewis Carroll.
“Far more recent inventions include ’snaccident’ – the inadvertent eating of an entire packet of biscuits – and ‘binfluencer’, the neighbour who always puts their bins out first and promptly reminds the rest of us!
“But ‘meekend’ deserves its own rightful spot in the dictionary to encourage more people to take time to themselves – and there’s not currently a word that fully encapsulates this.”
The research also found that 82% feel it’s important to have regular alone time for their general wellbeing, while 56% wished they had more time to themselves to do exactly what they want, when they want.
76% had never heard of the term ‘meekend’ but 73% found the idea appealing when it was explained to them, and 61% considered a meekend good for the soul, according to the OnePoll.com figures.
With other portmanteau words like ‘brunch’ (32%), ‘staycation’ (24%) and ‘hangry’ (18%) being so commonly used, it’s no surprise that 23% said they think they’ll use ‘meekend’ in their own vocabulary. Gen Z looks the most likely to bring it into the mainstream, with 46% say they’re likely to use it.
Yasmin Mukhida-Olushola, Head of Marketing for hub, said: “The nation has spoken, overwhelmingly agreeing that time alone is a luxury we all need once in a while. We’ve loved working with Susie in a bid to make the ‘meekend’ portmanteau as popular as it deserves to be.
“We hope everyone tries taking a meekend in the city – hub could be a perfect base for solo travel to explore the sights, whilst knowing there’s a cosy space to come back and recharge from”.
Ready to book a meekend for yourself? Check out our 19 hub hotels across London and Edinburgh city centre.
