Friends Reunited confirms website is to close

An email from Steve Pankhurst, one of the original founders of Friends Reunited, confirmed that the website is closing and that a completely new service, Liife, will open in its place.

The site launched in 2000, as a method for people to find their old school day friends. But now, with only “a handful members” left, the service will cease.

Mr Pankhurst’s email said: “The internet was in its infancy and the world was a very different place. Social networking was not even a term anyone used, but FriendsReunited grew very quickly to become one of the largest sites in the UK.

“A lot has happened since.”

The email continued to say that the site “needs a complete re write” to continue and that is something which is “not viable”.

It added: “Therefore, it is with a heavy heart, that we have decided to close the service down. This will commence in the next month.”

Members are being told that a link will be provided enabling them to log in and download old photographs, with confirmation due in the next few months.

The new service being opened, Liife, is about capturing “key moments” in your life and sharing them with the important people who helped to shape them.

More information will be released on Liife’s development soon.