<human>: Can you condense the text into a few key points?

So, in February I met a guy through work and we hit it off really well. Always flirting back and forth and kissed 2 weeks later when we all went to the pub after knock-off. We've only really started to become more 'serious' these last few months after we actually discussed that we liked each other, and that us "hanging out" were actual dates. However, still very minimal communication between seeing each other and we only catch up once a week now. He barely touches his phone etc, so I know it's normal for him not to talk much - and he's mentioned so many times that I'm the only person he bothers with. Him and my other friend have been my closest mates this past year after moving away from home.

The problem is, over the past month I've been starting to feel as though I've pulled myself out of the smitten phase, and have actually realised that we're very different in terms of what we need from a relationship. We get along like best mates, and having moved away from my friends back home, he is the closest friend I do have where I live. I love hanging out, but the physical attraction is decreasing and I'm not feeling it anymore.

I'm not sure how to break it to him that I don't want to continue to go on dates etc but still very much so want to hang out. I understand that he'll need space and that at the end of the day if he doesn't want to be mates this conversation still needs to happen. But I have no idea where to begin to tell him! We are shocking at discussing what's actually going on between us. Can anyone give some advice on how I can pose this conversation?
<bot>: I've been dating one of my best mates for the last few months, but want to bring it back to friends (hopefully without losing him completely). How do I start this conversation in the most delicate way possible?