Haystack Dating at Bemondsey Bar and Kitchen

If there’s one thing that unites single Londoners in 2025, it’s dating app fatigue. A decade of fruitless swiping has left an entire generation of daters keen to delete the apps and find a match IRL instead. And that’s where Haystack Dating comes in. Founded by twenty-something Londoner Lucy Rout as an alternative to the endless cycle of re-downloading and deleting dating apps, Haystack stages IRL meet-ups across the UK for people in their late 20s to 30s. Ahead of each event, they send a short form to get to know you better, and then get attendees together into small groups based on common interests, to chat over some after-work drinks. Essentially, they’re doing all the good stuff dating apps do, but without all the superficial rubbish. The next London edition takes place at the end of May at Bermondsey Bar at Kitchen. There’ll be a DJ, a karaoke booth and live music, and an entire room full of singletons, with opportunities to get to know those outside of your group too. Even if you don’t meet the love of your life, it sounds like a laugh!