Singles Turn to In-Person Dating Events Amid App Fatigue
Ofcom figures show time spent on dating sites is falling as users report swiping fatigue and home working limits chances to meet people
By AXY Business Desk ·
Key points
- The BBC reports that singles, including Olivia Miller-Davis, are turning to in-person dating events because of app fatigue.
- An Ofcom study cited by the BBC found 11% of adults use dating sites, with time spent falling from almost four hours a month in 2023 to three hours.
- Love at First Sign director of events Lissy Cleminson links changing dating habits partly to home working since Covid.
- Participants say in-person events offer richer information and a more structured way to meet people than apps.
A dating night in a bar in Guildford, Surrey, illustrates a shift that the BBC says it is hearing about from singles across the UK: a growing number of people want to meet potential partners face to face rather than through a phone screen. Olivia Miller-Davis, 28, attended one such event with a friend, describing herself as suffering from what she called "app fatigue". She said she was tired of "endlessly swiping" and found it hard to judge people from "really limited information and just a couple of pictures". The event, organised by the dating company Love at First Sign, matched attendees using an app based on astrological connection, though the BBC reported that most people were treating it mainly as an icebreaker rather than a route to a serious match.
The reporting frames the trend in terms of value for money. The BBC spoke to people who believe in-person dating events offer better value than dating apps, although the source material does not set out ticket prices or compare the cost of events with subscription fees, so readers should not assume a specific financial comparison. What is clear from the account is that participants are weighing time, attention and the feeling of getting something real out of an evening, rather than paying for endless browsing.
What the Ofcom figures show
The BBC cites a recent study from Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, which found that 11% of adults use dating sites. The same study suggests that the time people spend on those sites is falling. It reports a drop from a peak of almost four hours a month in 2023 to three hours in the most recent year covered. The figures do not show that dating apps are disappearing. Eleven per cent of adults is a minority of the population, but the decline in average monthly time points to a change in how people engage with apps, even among those who still use them.
For context, dating apps became a mainstream way to meet people in the early 2010s, when smartphone ownership grew rapidly and location-based swiping features were introduced. Their business model has generally relied on keeping users engaged, often through subscriptions and paid features, which is part of why some users now describe feeling stuck in a cycle of browsing without meeting anyone. Analysts of the sector have often pointed to this tension between a product that needs users to stay active and a customer who wants to find a partner and leave. The source material does not provide evidence on individual app companies' finances, so this analysis is general.
Why daters say apps feel unsatisfying
Edward, who matched with Olivia on the night, put the problem in blunt terms. He argued that apps are designed so that people do not find "the one", because the platform benefits when users keep returning. In his words, "they want you to come back and use the app forever. They don't want you to get married from the app." That is a personal view rather than an established finding, and the BBC did not present it as a fact about any specific company. But it reflects a broader frustration that many people express: a sense that profiles reduce people to a few photographs and a short bio, making it hard to judge compatibility or chemistry.
Olivia's comments point to the same issue. Her reluctance to "really fully commit" on the basis of so little information suggests that the appeal of an in-person event is partly about gathering richer information quickly. Seeing someone's manner, humour and body language in a room can give a sense of connection that a profile cannot, and events of this kind offer a structured reason to start a conversation.
The role of home working and changing habits
The Love at First Sign director of events, Lissy Cleminson, offered an explanation for why dating habits are changing. She said the way people date is shifting, and that a major factor is more home working since Covid. Her point is that people who work from home, or who commute less, no longer meet colleagues or fellow commuters in offices and on trains, which were once informal places to encounter people. Fewer natural meeting points mean that organised social settings can take on a bigger role.
The Covid-19 pandemic, which caused widespread lockdowns and changed working patterns across the UK from 2020, is widely recognised as having accelerated remote and hybrid working. Many workplaces have kept some form of home working since then. The BBC's account supports the view that this has altered how people meet, though the source material does not quantify how many people now work from home or how that has affected dating specifically, so the scale of the effect cannot be measured from this report alone.
Why in-person events may appeal to singles
Several features of in-person events are emphasised by the people the BBC spoke to. The first is the chance to judge someone in person rather than through photographs. The second is structure: a bar event with set rounds or an organised format removes some of the pressure of starting a conversation cold. The third is the option of attending with a friend, which Olivia did, to reduce the awkwardness at the beginning of the night. The BBC notes that nerves are common, and that even with a friend the start of the evening can feel uncomfortable.
There is also a question of accountability and effort. Apps make it easy to reject or ignore people with a swipe, which some users find demoralising. Face-to-face settings usually require a short conversation, which can make the experience feel more personal even when it does not lead to a match. Whether this translates into lasting relationships is not something the source material measures, and readers should treat claims about outcomes with caution.
What to watch next
Several developments will show whether this shift is lasting. The first is whether Ofcom's future studies continue to show a fall in time spent on dating sites, or whether usage stabilises. The second is how dating apps respond. Some platforms have already experimented with events, verified profiles and features intended to encourage real-world meetings, and analysts may watch whether such moves change engagement patterns. The third is whether the in-person events market grows beyond organisers such as Love at First Sign, and how pricing and formats evolve.
Readers may also watch how working patterns develop. If more employers require staff to return to offices, the informal meeting opportunities Cleminson described could return, which could affect demand for organised events. If home working remains common, demand for structured social settings may stay strong.
The bigger picture for daters
The trend reported by the BBC does not suggest that digital dating is ending. Many people still use apps, and the Ofcom figures indicate that a meaningful minority of adults do so. Rather, the account points to a growing sense that apps alone are not meeting some people's needs, and that in-person formats offer a different kind of experience. For singles weighing their options, the choice may depend on what they value most: convenience and wide reach, or the chance to meet someone with more context and a clearer first impression.
Olivia's experience, and Edward's frustration with apps, capture the emotional side of that choice. Neither story guarantees a relationship, but both describe a desire to meet people in a way that feels more honest and less like a game. As dating habits continue to change, the balance between screens and real rooms will be one of the more visible shifts in how people build personal lives in the UK.
Questions and answers
Why are singles moving away from dating apps?
The BBC reports that people such as Olivia Miller-Davis say they feel fed up of endlessly swiping and find it hard to judge people from limited profile information. This is described as app fatigue.
How many adults use dating sites in the UK?
According to a recent Ofcom study cited by the BBC, 11% of adults use dating sites. The same study suggests time spent on them fell from almost four hours a month in 2023 to three hours in the most recent year.
What role does home working play in changing dating habits?
Lissy Cleminson, director of events at Love at First Sign, says more home working since Covid means people no longer meet colleagues in offices or on the commute, which changes how they meet potential partners.
Topics: dating apps, in-person dating events, app fatigue, Ofcom, Love at First Sign, Guildford, home working
Sources: BBC Business RSS
https://axynewsglobal.com/article/singles-turn-to-in-person-dating-events-amid-app-fatigue