As cities become more commercialised, access to everyday meeting places may increasingly depend on financial resources, which risks excluding youth with limited resources. This study explores how adolescents in Malmö experience access to and use of third places and how commercial demands affect their opportunities for social interaction. The study is based on qualitative group interviews with 20 young people aged 15–17, conducted at youth recreational centres and church-based youth groups in Malmö. The analysis draws on theories of place, governmentality, and Oldenburg’s concept of third places.

The findings show that free and local places, especially youth recreational centres and libraries, are central to young people’s everyday social lives. Commercial places are often seen as safe and comfortable, but young people also experience an unspoken expectation to spend money in order to belong. The study also shows how ideas about order, responsibility and “proper behaviour” shape which places feel accessible. Overall, the results highlight that access to third places is not only about being allowed to enter, but about being able to stay, participate and feel included without financial pressure. Non-commercial meeting places therefore play a key role in promoting social inclusion among young people.