It's pretty tough, isn't it!
Unless you are still hanging out with people you knew from school or college or whatever its basically works friends or nothing.. This has become very clear to me now I'm self-employed which is why I'm desperate to jump into some sporting hobbies that are more 'team sports' as otherwise you just don't meet any other others (10x more so when you work for yourself!)
Do people on here still have friends from school as an adult? I don't even live in Norwich anymore so don't know anywhere from school or college from there and everyone I was friends with at Uni here in Leeds (back in 2002-2003ish) has moved all over the place so the only way I'm going to make new friends now I think is through hobbies and groups!!
Shows how easy it is when you are younger and this sort of stuff is in a plate for you!