Questions, answered properly

Between 3 and 6. Three is the minimum because two people are a pair, not a group. Six is the limit because three or four groups meet at each plan, and beyond that nobody really talks to anybody. Your group can be women, men or mixed: whatever it already is.

Then you can't book yet, and we'd rather tell you straight. Find a third: someone from work, a neighbour, your sister-in-law, the friend you always say you should see more of. The invitation code stays live, so they can join whenever they get round to it and you book once there are three of you.

Nothing serious. When the organiser books, they tick who is coming to that specific plan, so anyone who can't make it is simply left out and you pay for the people actually going. The one rule is the minimum: at least 3 of you have to turn up. If someone drops out after the booking is made, tell us: more than 48 hours before the start we refund their place, and inside that window we can't, but we still want to know how many of you are coming.

Then it's worth asking around, because it's more common than you'd think and the answer is usually yes. Two people from work and one neighbour is already a group. What we don't do is put you into a group of strangers: SAL only works if you arrive with people you know, because that's the part that makes walking in easy.

Whoever creates the group gives it a name and receives a code like SAL-4KP2Q. You send it to your friends, they set up their profile, type it in, and they're in. It isn't public and it isn't indexed anywhere: it only travels as far as you send it.

The person who created the group is the organiser, and they're the one who books for everyone. It's paid in one go, per person, and how you square up between yourselves is your business.

No. You go out with your own friends to meet more friends, and if someone special turns up along the way, so much the better. There's nothing to swipe, nobody gets matched with anybody and there's no gallery of profiles. What there is, is a Thursday night out with three or four groups your own age.

Small ones, with a bit of charm about them, in Palma de Mallorca. We're starting with rooftop gatherings at hotels in Palma: a drink at sunset, a good room and three or four groups who didn't know each other that morning. Other formats will come once this one is running properly.

Three or four groups, so between twelve and twenty people. Yours stays together: we never split a group up and we never leave one on its own among strangers.

SAL is a 45+ community: there's no upper limit. Some plans state an indicative range on their own page. If someone in your group falls just below by a year or two, write to us before booking and we'll tell you honestly whether that plan works for them.

Of course, as long as they're one of the 3 to 6 people in the group. What you can't do is come as a couple on your own: a group is at least three, and turning up as a couple is exactly what SAL isn't for.

The neighbourhood or the venue is always on the plan page. For some places the exact address is emailed to confirmed groups 48 hours before, partly out of respect for the venue and partly so that a private plan stays private.

It's stated on each plan, under "What is included": at a rooftop gathering, the welcome drink and the sharing plates. Anything not included is settled at the venue on the day.

We use it to run your account, put your group into a plan and process your bookings, and nothing else. We don't sell it, we don't trade it and we don't hand it to advertisers. The privacy policy sets out every purpose, every legal basis and every retention period.

No. There's no public directory, no gallery and no way for anyone to search for you here. The other groups learn your first name at the plan, in person, and nothing else beforehand.

Yes, both, at any time and without giving a reason. Leaving the group is one click from your account; if you leave, someone else can join with the code as long as you stay between 3 and 6. To delete your account write to us and we remove your profile, your answers and your avatar. Billing records for plans already attended have to be kept for as long as the tax rules require.

Tell the SAL host there and then — there's always one on site. Disrespect, harassment and using a plan as a sales pitch are grounds for being asked to leave and for losing access to future ones. It's a short rule and we don't debate it much.