I was talking to someone the other night at one of our events.
They had never been speed dating before so I reassured them they were in for a great night and I said without hesitation that its THE best way to meet people.
Why they asked?
For a brief second I thought they had caught my sales pitch out but before I knew it I was spouting all these incredible reasons why it works so well.
I honestly found it hard to find a negative.
This isn’t the first time someone has asked me such a question. First timers especially seem to think there’s stigma attached to speed dating.
It might be because I’ve seen it first hand and run events most nights, as they say ‘you’ve got to see it to believe it’.
So if you’ve never tried speed dating before and you’re a little unsure what to expect then this is the blog for you.
Not being from London myself, I’ve noticed that London is a very unique city in regard to its size and also a very career and success driven city.
As a result, people don’t always have the time to go out and meet new people if they’re working long hours or have a long commute (and let’s be honest work place romances don’t always end well).
When we do have free time we want to spend it with friends rather than going on dates all the time.
This is a reason why speed dating thrives in a city like London - it gives people the opportunity to meet a lot of people in one night.
I just wish I’d tried speed dating earlier - I could have saved myself from so many not so great dates.
Now we’ve all been on bad dates. There’s nothing worse than having planned a night out with someone you barely know and within a few of minutes the realisation hits that isn’t simple isn’t going to work out.
Some of us may be bold enough to call it quits after one drink and some of us are too polite and sit there for a good hour or so.
Speed dating eliminates that awkward ‘I’m here but I don’t want to be’.
You only have to spend 4 minutes with every potential date, enough time to know if you’d like to see them again and if not, you’re guaranteed to just have a laugh or some interesting chat.
Granted, on the surface at least, online dating and dating apps appeal to us because we don’t want to waste our time on bad dates but in my opinion the same problem occurs. as we don’t actually know anything about them really, do we?
We’ve seen a photograph and we’ve spoken to them over text but that doesn’t mean anything when it comes to meeting them in person.
Don’t get me wrong I’m not saying online doesn’t work but you still find yourself on those dates even after speaking to them for a week or so and having seen a picture (pictures lie as well).
So why Speed Dating?
Well, meeting new people is actually great fun. Yes, it’s possibly slightly nerve wracking but honestly, 99% of people get over the nerves quickly and absolutely love it.
You also meet 15-20 potential dates in one night, have a few drinks and you can do it with friends.
When you go on that date with someone you met speed dating you already know that you had that butterfly or at least what you’ve signed up for.
You’re also going to meet some really fun, interesting people and maybe even make new friends into the bargain.
I’ve seen lots of people walk away with a date and a new friend.
On the weekends it can be the start of a night out and you never know where the night may take you.
So, if you’ve been thinking about it for a while, there really is nothing holding you back from a good night out.
We run events from Tuesday to Saturday across London so I’m sure there will be a time and a place nearby for you to enjoy one of our fantastic events. Check out the listings to see what’s coming up soon.
WORDS BY STUART GRAHAME
Stuart is one of our regular hosts and over the years has become something of an expert in dating. Watch out for his regular posts full of dating tips and advice.