Manchester's twentysomethings are turning their backs on dating apps in favour of an old-school solution making a comeback across the city: speed dating. Mid20s, founded by Jonah Gray and Evie Carricker, has sold out all 41 of its speed dating events for 23 to 27-year-olds since launching in the city last summer.
The events have attracted more than 1,000 Mancunian singles, who have collectively been on over 5,000 dates, resulting in more than 400 romantic matches.
From a coach journey to a dating revolution
The idea came after Jonah and Evie, who met by chance on a coach from Bristol to Manchester, bonded over their frustrations with modern dating culture and the lack of opportunities for young people to meet in person. Jonah, who previously organised music events and raves, said the pair shared a disdain for dating apps that led them to create an alternative to digital dating for young people.
“What was at first maybe a nice idea, and maybe seemed like something that could help connect people, has now made people even further apart,” he said. “There’s an abundance of choice, and I think it creates this real expendable viewpoint of a person.”
Five minutes to make a connection
He said in-person speed dating solved that problem. “Within five minutes, you’ve met someone, had a chat. On paper, you’re dating 12 people for the price of one. You’re being precious with your time and energy whilst meeting loads of people.”
Demand for the events has grown quickly. What began as a single Manchester night now runs close to fortnightly in the city and has expanded to Sheffield and Leeds, with tickets regularly selling out within minutes of release. Each event typically hosts around 30 people, who take part in five-minute dates with other attendees. At the end of the night, guests submit the names of up to three people they would like to see again romantically.
Friendships and safety first
But the founders said the friendships formed at the events had become just as significant as the romantic matches. “I think we underestimated how much of it that would be,” Evie said. “We’ve got huge groups of people who’ve all met through our events.”
They said feedback had been overwhelmingly positive, with 91 per cent of attendees rating their experience five stars and groups often continuing to socialise well beyond the scheduled dating slots. The pair also vet every attendee before issuing tickets in a bid to create a safe and welcoming environment. “It’s amazing how consistently lovely the people we attract are,” Jonah said.
The founders said they hoped more people who were hesitant about attending would give the events a try. “I just wish people who were on the fence would just do it,” Jonah said. “We get so many people who say they were so nervous, they almost dropped out, and then they had a brilliant time. The worst thing that’ll happen is you end up with a funny story for the group chat,” Evie added.
The next Mid20s Manchester event, for lesbian, bisexual and queer women, will take place on Tuesday, September 22 at To Be Frank. A further event for men and women is planned for October 14 at Side Street. Events are ticketed, with details available by messaging @mid__twenties on Instagram.
