Dating can be a rather daunting endeavor. Move that endeavor into a major city like London and you can expect a whole different ball game. Like every big city, dating in London can be wrought with both unbelievable potential and exceptional challenges.
With millions in the dating pool, the stakes are high and meeting someone authentic can feel like finding that proverbial needle in a haystack. If you’ve been searching high and low for the right person in London, you might know what to expect already.
If you’re relatively new to the London dating scene, here are a few things you can expect on your dating journey.
Tradition Is A Thing Of The Past
London is a city rife with tradition, just not when it comes to dating. Back in the day, people met their potential beaus in dimly lit pubs over a pint and even (believe it or not) on the tube. Nowadays, things are quite a bit different. Londoners are leaning more into modern dating methods and skipping the meet-cute all together. Statistics show that 1 in 5 relationships in the UK begins online or via an app.
How can you score a date in London? Well, you’ll have to buck tradition and embrace the new way of doing things. Apps such as Bumble and eHarmony are popular, as are organized singles events such as cooking classes. Even Google searches for things like speed dating London are on the rise. If you want to find success on the London dating scene, you’ll have to embrace some rather unique methods of meeting your fellow singles.
Don’t Expect Much Pre-Date Conversation
Are you someone who loves to chat with strangers pre-date? Perhaps, you’re all about getting to know your date a little better before meeting in person. That’s fine, but Londoners might find this pill to be a bit hard to swallow. When it comes to London natives, pre-date conversation isn’t typically valued.
Londoners tend to be a bit bumbling or awkward, they also tend to hold an attitude of “just get on with it.” Once a date has been secured, don’t expect much in the way of pre-date conversation. If you do match with someone who is unusually chatty, they might be looking for someone who is daftly in the friend zone, rather than a long term relationship.
Paying The Bill Can Be Complicated
Seasoned daters know that the age-old conversation of who is going to foot the bill is one of complexity. This can be especially tricky when deep in the trenches of the London dating scene. Polling conducted on UK singles suggests that 23.8 percent of daters believe a check should be split, where 71.8 percent believe that a man should pay on the first date. Only 4.4 percent believe a woman should foot the bill entirely.
Deciding who is going to pay can be more than a bit awkward, especially in a city as diverse and varied as London. One way to avoid any bumbling conversations post-bill is to tackle the issue beforehand. Another is to simply offer to pay half and see what your date has in mind. Gauge your date as the night wears on and aim to get a sense of where they land on this incredibly beguiling issue.