Menu
Login to your account

SPEED DATING IN LONDON
London's #1 for speed dating. Amazing events every week since 2003

Original Dating started right here in London over 20 years ago, and we've never left. Today we run more than 200 events a year across the capital - speed dating, singles parties, lock & key parties and our famous summer boat parties - at handpicked bars from Soho to Tooting.
No apps. No swiping. Just multiple real, face-to-face dates and one fun night.
SPEED DATING GUARANTEE: We're confident you'll meet someone you like first time but, if you don't, your next event is FREE

Find an event near you

Sign up to receive special discounted offers, invitations and more

Speed dating events
Filter
Reset

How does speed dating in London work?

You'll meet 15–20 other single Londoners in one evening, in a private area of a good bar. Each date lasts 4–5 minutes, you privately note who you'd like to see again, and the next day our matching system reveals your mutual matches so you can message them securely.

How much does speed dating in London cost?

Most London speed dating tickets are around £20, with singles parties and special events varying. Every event includes our matching service, and if you don't match with anyone, your next event is free.

What ages go to speed dating in London?

Every event has a set age range, clearly shown before you book — typically 20s & 30s, 30s & 40s, and dedicated over-40s and over-50s nights. Attendees are overwhelmingly working professionals who'd rather meet in person than swipe.

Is speed dating worth it in 2026?

We'd say so — and the growth in bookings agrees. With app fatigue at an all-time high, meeting 20 people face to face in two hours is simply more efficient: you know within minutes whether there's chemistry, something no amount of messaging can tell you.

What should I wear to a London speed dating event?

Smart-casual wins. Wear what you'd wear on a good first date in London: comfortable, confident, you. No dress code beyond the venue's own.

Can I come to speed dating alone?

Most people do — arriving solo is completely normal and our hosts make sure nobody's left standing awkwardly. Bringing a friend is welcome too (book together and you won't be sat on consecutive dates).

What happens if the numbers are uneven on the night?

We manage male and female ticket allocations separately for every event to keep numbers balanced, and our hosts adjust the rotation on the night so everyone gets a full set of dates.

Do you run gay and lesbian speed dating in London?

Yes — regular gay speed dating nights in Soho and Clerkenwell, and monthly lesbian speed dating events. Same format, same matching system, same guarantee.

Which areas of London do you run events in?

The City, Soho, Covent Garden, Clerkenwell, Holborn, Clapham, Battersea, Tooting, Camden, Islington and Richmond — with new areas added regularly. Central London events are all within a few minutes of a Tube station.

How is Original Dating different from other London speed dating companies?

We've been running London speed dating since 2003 — longer than anyone else — with professional hosts, our own purpose-built matching system, balanced events, and a free-rematch guarantee. Around 200 London events a year means there's almost always one that fits your week.

ORIGINAL DATING IN THE PRESS
Trustpilot

HOW IT WORKS

Arrive from about 7pm and grab a drink — our host will check you in and hand you a scorecard. Once everyone's settled, the host explains the format and the dating begins: four to five minutes per date, girls seated, guys rotating, with a 15-minute breather at half time to top up your glass and compare notes.

After each date you make a quick private note: yes, no, or friend. Nobody sees your choices on the night — that's the point. When the formal dates finish, the room opens up and everyone mingles; ask any of our hosts and they'll tell you this is where half the real chemistry happens, so don't dash for the Tube.

The next morning, enter your ticks on our site and our matching system compares them against everyone else's. Mutual yeses become matches, and you can message each other through the site — no phone numbers or emails shared until you choose to.


When you get there

Doors open around 30 minutes before the start time on your ticket — arriving early gives you time to grab a drink, find your feet and say hello to your host, who'll check you in and get you set up. Everything you need is provided on the night; just bring your ticket confirmation and your best conversation.

First time? You won't be the only one — most people at any London event are speed dating first-timers, and plenty arrive solo. Our hosts have run hundreds of these nights and their whole job is making sure nobody feels lost. By your second date you'll have forgotten your nerves entirely.

Meet & Mingle

Why Londoners book with Original Dating

Original Dating was founded in London in 2003 by Andrew — back when speed dating was brand new and he was, in his words, just a boy. Twenty-three years later we're the capital's longest-established speed dating company and one of the largest in the UK, running around 500 events a year nationwide.

What that experience buys you: professional hosts (many of them trained actors) who actually run the room rather than reading a script; venues we've vetted personally; gender-balanced events with sensible age bands; a matching system we built ourselves; and a rematch guarantee we've

Complete your score sheet

After the event you simply tick who you liked on the Original Dating website and the site works about your matches automatically. If the dates you have ticked as a "yes" have reciprocated you have a match. You will be able to view the first names and message them via our site online without revealing your email address until you are ready to. You'll be having proper first dates in no time.

 

London Speed Dating in Numbers

We've been collecting match data at London events longer than dating apps have existed. From the last 12 months of Original Dating London events:

  • The average speed dating night produces multiple mutual "yes" matches, plus a healthy crop of friend matches — over 7000 mutual matches across London events in the past year. 
  • Saturday is London's biggest night for speed dating; Friday nights in Soho run it close.
  • Our busiest single night of the year? Valentine's — nearly 400 singles at one party this February
  • Attendance at in-person dating events has grown year on year as app fatigue bites — our London singles parties now regularly sell 150–350 tickets.
BOOK AN EVENT NOW

How about 10% off your next booking?

Join the waiting list

We use cookies to give you the best online experience. Please let us know if you agree to all of these cookies.
Yes, I agree