Tired of Swiping: Singles Turn to In‑Person Dating Events
Olivia Miller‑Davis arrived at a dating event in a Guildford bar feeling nervous, even though she brought a friend for support. The 28‑year‑old admits that meeting strangers in a bar is always a little unsettling, especially when she first downloaded an app that pairs participants based on their astrological signs. Like many others she spoke with, Olivia is fed up with “endlessly swiping” and describes it as “app fatigue”. She says judging potential partners from a handful of photos and brief bios feels shallow and makes it hard to commit.
A recent Ofcom study found that 11 percent of adults use dating sites, but the average time spent on them fell from almost four hours a month in 2023 to three hours last year. Olivia’s first match that evening was Edward, who echoed her frustration. “I’m fed up with apps,” he said. “They’re designed so you don’t find ‘the one’, because they want you to keep using the app forever. They don’t want you to get married from the app.”
The night was organized by Love at First Sign, a dating company that uses an app to match people according to zodiac compatibility, though most attendees treat the app mainly as an icebreaker. Event director Lissy Cleminson notes that dating habits have shifted, especially after the rise of remote work during the pandemic, which reduced chance encounters on commutes or in offices. “The little meet‑cutes don’t happen as much when you’re at home in your shirt up top and your pyjamas down bottom,” she jokes.
Many singles at the Guildford gathering said they preferred the real‑life experience. TikTok and Instagram are full of #SingleTok and #Singlelife accounts reviewing such events. Candice Gallagher, who runs the @Candilicious account, attended ten different dating events in ten weeks. An entrepreneur, she likens the events to a better return on investment than online dating. “Online chats often turn into graveyards with very limited conversation,” she explains. “At a dating event everyone is single, everyone’s ready to mingle, and your chances of having a good conversation are much greater.”
Attendees generally felt that the events offered good value for money, allowing them to meet several people face‑to‑face for a cost similar to a single app‑based date. Prices typically range from £15 to £30 and often include a drink and an activity or icebreaker, such as the matchmaking app used throughout the night.
Olivia also pointed to finances as a factor in her dating choices. After a career change left her temporarily unemployed, she put dating on hold until she felt she could afford it. She is not alone: more than a quarter of daters surveyed by Barclays said rising costs have altered how they date, and recent research suggests the average monthly expense for dating—including apps, entertainment and clothing—can reach about £130.
App providers stress that online platforms still play a major role in meeting partners. Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, reports that among people who have ever been in a romantic relationship, about 21 percent of baby boomers met their most recent partner in a pub, bar or club, compared with just 4 percent of Gen Z. Across all ages, 20 percent met their latest partner via a dating app and another 20 percent through friends.
Chine Mmegwa, head of strategy, corporate development and operations at Match Group, says Tinder has introduced new features over the past year to attract younger users, including interactive music, astrology tools and a “double date mode” for friends. She adds that Tinder is increasingly encouraging in‑person connections, launching events in the United States and now the United Kingdom to blend online and offline experiences.
At the Guildford event, Olivia left feeling optimistic after meeting several men she might want to see again. When asked by the BBC whether she thought she had met “the one,” she laughed and replied, “No, I’m not going to name anyone specific. But you’ll be invited to the wedding if there is one!”