There’s a new social night for singles in Liverpool who are sick of swiping

Single scouser Jess Hope-Evans has organised a Liverpool social event for people who are looking for love.

So if you’re sick of swiping and you fancy going old school in a bid to meet someone, the ‘Anti-Dating App Social Night’ could be the perfect match for you!

Jess says: “The last two years, as everyone knows, has been a mad time, and for a lot of people who are single they’ve been restricted to dating apps if they wanted to meet someone.

“I just thought it would be great to put on a night that’s not cringy, not contrived like speed-dating nights, just something where single people could get together, have a drink, have a laugh and, maybe, there’ll be romance!

“I just wanted to make dating human again.”

The Anti-Dating App Social Night is being held at Leaf in Bold Street, on Tuesday, February 22, and everyone aged 18 and over is welcome.

Tickets are £10 each, which includes a drink, and there’ll be live music throughout the evening.

Jess, 30, from Aigburth, goes on: “Remember that feeling of locking eyes across the bar with a stranger you fancy? Or that moment when you finally get chatting, and get to know someone face-to-face?

“Pre dating apps, that’s how we did it. We’d go to bars and pubs, and get chatted up or chat people up. I wanted to bring back that authenticity.

“There’s no accounting for chemistry. I’m not against dating apps – I met my last boyfriend on one – but we have come to a place where we are officially out of lockdown, and people are craving human and social interaction again.

“And, let’s face it, you might be swiping left on people you would actually get on with in real life. When you meet someone in a bar, you can connect with people you least expect.

“It’s been two long years of being limited to apps and it’s time to break free from Tindering and Bumbling. I was speaking to my other single friends and we just said this is what we would want – it’s a night out but every person who walks through the door will be single (and how often does that happen?).

“I wanted to make it as low pressure as possible so there will be music – it won’t be, walk in and start conversing. But it is a relaxed night out with your mates.”

Jess stresses that she hopes the event will also be empowering to people who can celebrate being single; not everyone has to be desperately seeking someone.

It could just be, she adds, that you want to meet like-minded people.

“Like I said, I just want to make dating human again for those who have got dating app fatigue. For many single people, especially in lockdown, it could feel quite lonely, that you’re the only one in that situation. With up to 150 people hopefully attending, this is a reminder that you’re not alone, and that there are 150, or 200, people at least, in Liverpool, in the same situation as you.

“So they might go home feeling encouraged.”

Of course, Jess says: “It would be nice if there was romance, if there was a connection. We are social creatures and we do miss that someone we can share things with, and enjoy life with, and it does hit home more around Valentine’s Day.

“If I meet someone that’s a bonus. But the focus is on helping single people to feel good about themselves and have a good night out.

“Often people can go to ‘singles’ events and can feel bad about themselves when they go home if they don’t meet anyone that evening, but we want this event to do the opposite. We want people to have a boss night out whether they find romance or not.”

Find out more about The Anti-Dating App Social Night here.

Article by Janet Tansley