A kind of hush
A new dating trend is proving popular in north London.
Max Gosney gets to the heart of the matter For years, pubs have played the part of Cupid in the love lives of Britons.
They provide the perfect venue for single people to meet, whether over a lustful glance across a crowded bar or a drunken slow dance to Bryan Adam's Everything I Do (I Do It For You).
Now, with the arrival of speed dating, pubs have an opportunity to reap the financial rewards of spreading a little love.
The Slug & Lettuce on Upper Street, Islington, north London, is one of several venues looking to benefit from a new dating trend.
The bar is busy, noticeably so for a chilly Tuesday evening in October.
More than 40 people, camouflaged among the regulars, have turned up in the hope of meeting somebody special.
They sit nervously and sip glasses of wine and pints of beer.
All of them have gathered to take part in silent dating, a new variation on the popular speed-dating format.
The group is about to enjoy a unique experience, according to Guy Holmes, event organiser for speed-dating firm, Mate or Date.
"We get everybody together in the function room upstairs.
There are pens and paper and people can write and pass notes to whoever takes their fancy," he says.
"The only rule is that nobody is allowed to speak."
People lose their inhibitions when writing, says Holmes.
"It's definitely a good way to get to know somebody and things can get pretty intense later on."
Mate or Date has been playing matchmaker since 2002.
However, only recently have pubs realised the financial boost speed dating can deliver, according to Holmes.
"Organised dating is going through a huge expansion throughout the UK.
We tend to use function rooms, which are not used mid-week, and the bar can expect to make as much as £600."
Revenue generated from hosting an event can extend beyond just a one-night fling, says Holmes.
"It helps people to discover new venues and many will end up becoming regulars."
A figure descends from a stairwell at the far end of the bar and announces that all speed daters should make their way upstairs.
There's a surge of activity as single men and women leave their seats, to the intrigue of other bar folk.
Among the group are teachers, journalists and actors, plus a selection of young professionals either actively looking for romance or using their work as an excuse to.
Their destination is a candlelit room with leathercouches and oak tables decked with pens and paper.
The contestants exchange nervous glances before Holmes relieves the tension.
"You write on the sheets provided," he says.
"We can pass the notes to the person you like or you can do it directly.
There is a bar next door for drinks, but we insist the room remains silent."
A hush descends in which the furious scribble of 40 Biros is the only sound.
The peace is broken as authors deliver their notes and recipients giggle at their overt content.
Buying a drink is a popular way for contestants to get their words flowing.
"We get very busy as people look to have a drink or two for some Dutch courage," says Lucy Richards-Carpenter, the bar tender for the event.
"Customers are much more adventurous with their order, especially if they're trying to impress a potential date.
I've been passed a few notes myself."
Tables quickly become cluttered with empty glasses and discarded sonnets.
The atmosphere is vibrant and licensees should be making the most out of dating games, according to Tom Parker, an organiser of Mate or Date events.
"Making money in mid-week is the main problem pubs have," he says.
"The opportunity of meeting the opposite sex will guarantee at least 60 single people will go to a venue.
That offers a big boost to trade."
SFI, which owns the Slug & Lettuce chain, is not the only pubco to recognise the lucrative rewards of speed-dating events.
Laurel runs events at Casa and Sex and the City bars in Cheltenham, and London.
Licensees should take the trend seriously, says Chris Scholey, managing director of the Pocket Pub Company, which runs the Bedford in Balham, south-west London, and the Tin Bobbin in Clapham.
"Initially, when I was approached by a speed-dating firm, I was hesitant.
However, when you are guaranteed over 50 extra customers at the bar, there is nothing like a drink to get people talking."
Case study: Casa Bar, Cheltenham, Gloustershire Casa has been running a mid-week speed-dating night since August.
The high street bar has two tiers, making it ideally suited to hosting events, as deputy bar manager Verity Evans explains.
"The upstairs function room is not really used in the week, so it makes a great venue," she says.
"The dating firm comes in to put out the tables and chairs, and we provide bar facilities and staff."
Despite running the event for just a matter of months, many speed daters have returned for a second visit.
"I would say that a lot of people have come back," says Evans.
"It has helped raise the bar's profile among locals."
Speed dating has provided the bar with a reliable trade on traditionally quiet weekday nights.
Licensees should be making the most of a valuable attraction, according to Evans.
"It brings people in who wouldn't usually go out on a Monday.
If you have the facilities then I would definitely recommend it.
