Speed dating and singles nights do run in the South West, mostly in the cities: Bristol, Bath, Exeter and Plymouth have them most often, while Cornwall and the market towns see them now and then. The easiest way to find one is an event listing site or a local venue's own events page. Between events, a local dating site keeps you meeting people.
What is speed dating actually like?
A typical evening is simpler than people fear. You arrive, get a name badge and a scorecard, and a host seats you opposite someone for a few minutes. When the bell goes, one side moves along and you start again. By the end of the night you have had a short conversation with everyone in your group. You note who you would like to see again, and if they picked you too, the organiser passes on your details afterwards.
The good part is that it is honest. Everyone in the room is single and came to meet someone, and you get a sense of a person's voice, laugh and manners in a way a profile cannot give you. The hard part is the clock: a few minutes is enough to know whether you get on, not much more.
Slow dating
Some organisers now run "slow dating" evenings, with fewer, longer conversations, sometimes over a drink or a shared activity. If the bell and the scorecard sound like too much, it is a gentler way in, and it is worth searching for alongside speed dating, particularly in the bigger cities.
Singles nights and singles clubs
Singles nights are looser. There is no rotation, just a room of single people and usually something to do: a quiz, a walk, a cookery class, a dance lesson or a meal. Singles clubs are the same idea run as a regular group, so you see familiar faces each month. Both suit people who find one-to-one introductions awkward and would rather meet someone side by side.
Where to find speed dating near you
Speed dating in Exeter
As the county's main city, with a university and people coming in from all over Devon, Exeter is one of the likelier places in the region to find speed dating. Check the age band before you book, as events are usually split by age. Our Exeter dating page covers the city and East Devon.
Singles nights in Plymouth
Plymouth is the biggest city in Devon and Cornwall, so it is the natural place to look for speed dating, singles nights and slow dating in the far south west of Devon. If you live in the South Hams or across the Tamar, it is your nearest option. See Plymouth dating.
Bristol and Bath singles nights
As the region's biggest city, Bristol tends to have the widest choice, including activity-based singles socials as well as classic speed dating. Bath is smaller, so events there are fewer, but Bristol is a short train ride away and many Bath singles look at both. Read Bristol dating and Bath dating.
Speed dating in Cornwall and Devon's towns
This is where it gets harder. Speed dating in Cornwall and the rest of Devon does happen, but less often, and towns such as Barnstaple, Bude or Launceston rarely see an event at all. Organisers need enough people in each age band to fill a room, and smaller places struggle. Our Cornwall dating page is written for exactly that problem.
How to search
Search an event listing site for "speed dating" or "singles night" with your nearest city, and check the events pages of bars and venues in town, which often list their own nights. Book early: popular evenings sell out, and organisers often need the numbers of men and women to match.
The honest trade-offs
Speed dating is fun and worth trying, but it has limits worth knowing before you book.
- The dates are fixed. Events run on set evenings, and if you work shifts, farm or have the children that weekend, you miss it.
- Age bands are strict. Events are split by age, and the bands do not always suit you, especially if you are over 50.
- Small towns rarely get them. If you live in rural Cornwall, North Devon or West Somerset, the nearest event may be an hour's drive away.
- You meet who turns up. On the night, the room may hold a dozen people, and none of them may live near you.
How to meet people in the weeks between events
This is where a local dating site earns its place. Westcountry Singles lets you search for people by town and distance, any evening you like, with no age band set by someone else. You can read a profile before you say hello, see who shares your interests, and arrange to meet when it suits you both. Plenty of people use both: a singles night now and then for the buzz of a room, and the site for everything in between.
If you are not sure who lives near you, our singles near me page explains how local search works. When you do arrange a meeting, our first date ideas for the South West has relaxed places to start.
Speed dating questions
Is there speed dating near me in the South West?
Most likely in Bristol, Bath, Exeter or Plymouth, which hold events most often. Cornwall and the smaller towns see them occasionally. Search an event listing site with your nearest city and check local venues' event pages.
What should I say at speed dating?
Skip the job interview questions. Ask what they did last weekend, where they like to walk or what they would do with a day off. Short, warm and curious works best in a few minutes.
Are there singles nights for over-50s?
Some events have older age bands, but they are less common, particularly outside the cities. Many people over 50 find it easier to meet online; our sister site Mature Westcountry Singles is built for the over-40s.
Is speed dating better than online dating?
They do different jobs. Speed dating gives you a quick sense of chemistry on one evening; a dating site gives you more people, more time to talk and no fixed dates. Many people do both.
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