DATE IN LONDON

Dating in our modern world is tough. The apps give us too much choice and ease to make snap decisions; reducing people to a profile on an app. We all know this isn’t the way attraction works, but we’re all addicted/have forgotten how to meet people IRL (In Real Life)…yeah that’s not another URL. Yet we all have this idea in our minds that our love story is going to happen like our favourite rom com, even if we would never dare admit it. Particularly during summer, when the long summer evenings make everything feel lighter, easier and everyone is more attractive with a tan. We’ve also got Love Island to make us dream of a summer romance, festivals which feel like holidays, and those beautiful, long evenings at a rooftop bar cooling off with an Aperol Spritz.

There are plenty of reasons to date in summer. The endless wedding invites where you’d prefer to have a plus one for, the endless slew of summer events that could be more fun with a date and a jug of Pimms. It can be brutal though, particularly with the aforementioned modern world. It can be a rollercoaster ride of rejection, misread signals and hilarious stories for your group chats. How does one go about dating successfully in a place with so much choice; so many people?! 

One of the most common ways to date these days is to use the apps, and there are new apps being released all the time. We’re no longer stuck with Plenty of Fish as our only option. So, what are the best ones?

To start with is Hinge, this is by far the most popular with young Londoners. Hinge has a cooler feel to it then Tinder, users have to attempt a sense of humour, which does prevent users of the app making decisions based on looks alone. 

Only available for one day a week is Thursday, a new approach to dating means you have to act quickly, the opportunity to make your move will only last for the day otherwise you might never see that person again (how romantic!). They don’t stop there though, if you head to their website, you’ll be able to see events they host for all singletons! 

Bumble, with the approach being that women have to act first, has been hugely successful. Or if you’re looking for your next gym buddy, Fitafy is the new app which provides the world’s biggest community for fitness singles, playing cupid for healthy relationships based on common interests. Last but most definitely not least is the app for the creatives out there, Victoria, this app isn’t for everyone. It’s a private member’s club where out-of-the box thinkers are brought together at intimate private events, with the aim they say being to bond over art, music, culture and powerful conversations. Like I said, not for everyone but if you are the artistic type, this is a great way to narrow down your choices! 

There is of course the traditional way to find your next relationship or ‘situationship’. While the world swipes on their screens, there are still hopeless romantic dreamers who prefer to find love offline and in-person. London is a never-ending pot of opportunity when it comes to single events, especially as its summer and that nostalgic feeling of being forever young fills the evenings with all the romantic feels from a teen movie. The question is, where do you find these potential soul mates? Well, any google search will give you a plethora of single events on Eventbrite and Meet Up. For a real traditional dating event, try the much-loved Date in a Dash speed dating events which are held across London for various ages, meaning there’s something for everyone. 

Whilst we can’t promise that you’ll find love in one of these places, we can highly recommend they are a good place to start. Grab the bull by the horns and have fun. There are no rules and no obligations but a summer fling could be just what the doctor ordered.