30 per cent of single Brits have forgotten how to date

If you have a hot date for Valentines Day, you may be one of the lucky ones as a recent study shows that almost 30 per cent of single Brits have forgotten how to date.

Research by Fridays has found that an increasing number of singletons feel as though they can’t read tell-tale signs on a date as it’s been so long since they last went on one.

But, dating coach Hayley Quinn believes post-pandemic dating can be simpler than it seems. She said “if you’re looking for signs your date is into you, you should look out for some basics that they’re in the right headspace to date” such as turning up on time, being attentive and wanting to be in your company.

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The study of 1,006 single Brits also found the key things to do and avoid for those getting back out on the dating scene.

Regarding pet peeves on a dinner date, 55 per cent of people said their biggest peeve is when their date is constantly on their phone, closely followed by if they have bad manners (54.7 per cent) and if they’re impolite to staff (51.9 per cent).

On the signs that someone is into you, 39.5 per cent of participants said the most obvious one is if their date said they’d like to see them again.

Sharing eye contact, talking about potential future dates, engaging in conversation and touching your dates arm or hand were also top tell-tale signs for attraction.

Ms Quinn also reassured people that first dates don’t always go to plan so it’s best to keep their time to a sweet spot of between one and a half to two and a half hours. This way, she said, you have enough time to get to know someone but not so long that you’ll feel you wasted your time on a missing spark.

The study also discovered the lengths people will go to to get out of their if they’re not having fun, with over 20 per cent of people admitting they had made up a lie to end their date early (ouch).

A hot topic when it comes to dates is splitting the bill – and 10 per cent of single males surveyed have asked to split the bill before compared to 20 per cent of single women.

On this, Ms Quinn said: “If you’re someone who strongly believes the person who invited you should pay, you’re going to clash with someone who believes it’s more modern to go Dutch. Neither one of these behaviours are ‘wrong’, it’s just about finding someone who is on the same page as you.”

Also, almost a third of single Brits (29 per cent) said they don’t want to seem to keen on a first date, which Quinn said isn’t always a bad thing but to remain cautious.

“If you’re naturally prone to fall head over heels it can be really helpful to remind yourself about everything you don’t know about a person before thinking they’re your perfect match,” she said.

“Yes, Fridays’ chocolate fudge fixation might be their favourite dessert too, and you may think they’re gorgeous, but there’s a long way to go to establish how compatible you really are. So, it’s less about playing it cool, more about raising your standards for what it takes to win you over.”

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