Simon Pollard, a long-time WordPress developer from Bristol, spoke with Nathan Wrigley on the Jukebox Podcast about how the pandemic disrupted local WordPress meetups and what it will take to rebuild them.
From a pub chat to a thriving Meetup
Simon’s path led him from Devon through Cheltenham and Cardiff to Bristol, where he landed his first proper web role using WordPress. A casual conversation in a pub about meeting other local WordPress users grew into the Bristol WordPress Meetup. What started as six people around a table became a monthly event with talks, sponsorship, catering and an official WordPress account—peaking at around 30–40 people before COVID.
Practical ingredients for the Meetup’s success included a small organising team, basic tools (Trello, a bank account), WordPress-backed funds and credibility, active promotion across local networks, and a warm in-person vibe aided by simple social incentives like food and name badges.
Pause, personal change, and a slow restart
When COVID hit in 2020 the Meetup stopped. Organisers, including Simon, didn’t have the appetite, bandwidth or sometimes the tech to pivot to an online model. For Simon the pause coincided with major life changes—a new baby and a rediscovered social life through music and his local band—so his social energy moved away from meetups. Early handovers to new organisers didn’t take, though a smaller revival later reconnected some original members and brought Simon back in.
The return felt familiar but smaller. The personal rituals—greeting newcomers, name badges, post-talk conversations—still mattered and made the in-person experience feel welcoming. For Simon, meetups were always as much about people as they were about talks: networking, mentorship and cross-company collaboration were key outcomes.
Two major shifts making revival harder
Simon and Nathan identified two structural changes since the pandemic that complicate rebuilding community events:
– Fragmented social channels. Twitter once acted as a town square for event promotion and informal networking. As people migrate between platforms or leave some entirely, organisers struggle to find and reach former attendees and potential speakers.
– Changed habits and priorities. Lockdown routines—remote work, family commitments, new hobbies—have created different personal rhythms. Returning to a regular in-person schedule is no longer automatic for many.
The hidden loss of informal knowledge exchange
Beyond attendance numbers, an important loss has been the informal interactions that happen around events: hallway chats, post-talk debriefs, ad-hoc problem solving and recognition of contributors. Those moments spark collaborations, mentorship and idea-sharing in ways that online answers and AI can’t replicate. While tools like Stack Overflow or AI can solve technical problems quickly, they don’t build relationships or offer public recognition that draws people into communities.
AI and changing help-seeking behavior
Simon noted that AI’s ability to supply quick answers reduces the incentive to ask questions publicly or participate in community Q&A. Without attribution or conversation, many problems get solved privately, eroding the social glue that once encouraged people to connect and contribute.
What still attracts people to meetups
Despite these headwinds, several things remain powerful draws:
– A human-first, welcoming environment that helps newcomers feel comfortable.
– Broad, inclusive programming that exposes attendees to unexpected ideas rather than narrowly focused sessions.
– Social time—music, drinks and relaxed conversation—where relationships form naturally.
Practical ideas to revitalise events
Simon and Nathan discussed several approaches to make in-person gatherings more compelling:
– Mix formats: combine technical talks with creative or cultural content—design, animation, music—to attract broader audiences. Many community members are creative in other fields; showcasing that talent adds fresh appeal.
– Emphasise experiences that virtual formats can’t replicate: live performance, improvisation, hands-on workshops and social evenings.
– Rethink scale and structure: smaller, single-track meetups or slimmer WordCamps may be more realistic starting points than the pre-pandemic multi-track, full-weekend model.
– Experiment and cross-pollinate: collaborate with local creative communities and non-WordPress groups to broaden interest and reach.
WordCamps and larger events
Organising Bristol’s multi-track WordCamp in 2019 showed how resource-intensive bigger events can be. With local meetups smaller now, larger WordCamps may need reimagining: leaner programmes, mixed-media content, or collaborations with other creative events to justify travel and time away.
Bridging the communication gap
One practical problem is reconnecting people between events when the old social channels no longer serve as reliable gathering places. Simple solutions still matter—email lists, welcoming teams, clear signposts to where people can connect—but organisers must discover where their audience actually hangs out online. Simon currently leans toward LinkedIn, but community members are scattered across platforms or offline.
A call for experimentation and community action
Simon is reconnecting with former contacts, reaching out to past attendees and exploring ways to involve non-WordPress topics and local creatives. The conversation on the podcast urged others to try new formats, share ideas, and consider hybrid or cross-disciplinary events that match present-day social habits.
Why community still matters
Simon and Nathan closed on a clear conviction: WordPress grew because people built it together. Community events foster empathy, mentorship and collaboration in ways automated tools cannot. Reviving that spirit will take creativity, small experiments and continued goodwill from both organisers and attendees.
Where to find Simon
Simon works with Illustrate Digital (illustrate.digital) and most often uses LinkedIn. Episode show notes on wptavern.com link to his profiles.