Plymouth Dating: Meet Singles in Plymouth

A city on the water

The Barbican, the Hoe and the waterfront give Plymouth some of the best first-date settings in the region: somewhere to walk, somewhere to sit and plenty of choice for food and a drink. The city also sits right on the border, which means your best match might be in Saltash or Torpoint.

Plymouth singles, and how the city dates

Plymouth is the biggest city in the far South West and it has its own rhythm. The dockyard and the navy mean shift work and time away for a lot of people, the university keeps parts of the city young, and the hospital at Derriford runs around the clock. Meeting someone at the pub on a Saturday works for some of that, and not at all for the rest. Online, you can talk on a Tuesday after a late shift and meet when your weeks line up.

It is also a city people stay in. Plenty grew up here, or came with the forces and never left, and a lot of them want someone who feels the same way about the place.

Two counties in one search

Plympton, Plymstock, Ivybridge and Tavistock share a search with the city, and so do Saltash, Torpoint and the towns of south east Cornwall. Include both counties and you widen the field without adding much travel. The Tamar Bridge and the Torpoint ferry make Cornwall part of daily life here, so set your distance from your own postcode rather than stopping at the river. Our Cornwall dating page covers the far side.

Who is looking in Plymouth

Plymouth and Exeter share the top spot for members on Westcountry Singles. In Plymouth the two biggest groups are evenly matched: people in their late thirties and early forties, and people in their late forties and early fifties. A smaller group is in their late fifties and early sixties, a few are older, and very few are under thirty-five. In other words, mostly people with a working week, a family behind them or around them, and a fair idea of who they are.

Where people meet

The Barbican is the obvious choice for a first date, busy and easy to reach. Royal William Yard is a little quieter. For a daytime meeting, a walk along the Hoe followed by a coffee is hard to beat.

Some other ideas that suit the city: a stroll round Sutton Harbour and out to the lighthouse on the Hoe, the view across the Sound from Jennycliff, or Mount Edgcumbe's park on the Cornish shore if you both fancy a crossing. Drake's Trail heads out towards Tavistock along an old railway and is good for an easy walk or ride. Our first date ideas cover the rest of the region.

Singles nights, slow dating and speed dating in Plymouth

Plymouth is big enough for the occasional singles night, slow dating evening or speed dating event, and people search for all three. They depend on whoever is running them that season. Our guide to speed dating and singles nights explains how to find them and what to expect, and an online profile means you are not waiting for the next one.

Neighbourhoods and towns to search

• Plymouth city centre
• Plympton
• Plymstock
• Ivybridge
• Tavistock
• Saltash
• Torpoint
• Yelverton
• Liskeard
• Callington
• Kingsbridge
• Modbury

A first meeting goes better when you have planned it well. Our safety guidance covers the basics.