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Location-based dating: Lovestruck.com gets an iPhone app
Shiny Shiny
by Anna Leach, 15 February 2010
When you glance at someone's profile on a dating site you'd expect to read about their favourite films.. but not to find out that they are 24 metres away from you. Well, wake up and smell the after-work cocktails, because as of next week you'll be able to.
I had a sneak preview today of an iPhone app that does just that. It's linked into location-based dating site LoveStruck and founder Brett Harding came in and showed it to us. The dating site specialises in hooking up single professionals who work near to each other - with the intention of making dates more convenient. It also provides a "filter" or barrier to entry in that members have to have a job. The site will also filters results for you according to what you're looking for: men 25+ for example.
I'm sure you don't need me to tell you that mobile phones are a natural place for online dating - don't need to have it open on your work computer, it's that bit smaller and more private. And building location in is an interesting idea. Location is The Next Big Thing for mobile apps and while "nearby" apps telling you where the post office is are very useful - we're still waiting for apps to come up with innovative ideas for it. And this Lovestruck app sure is innovative.
If you let it track your location, and set it to alert you, it will send you a push notification when someone you might like is within a 50m, 100m or 500m radius of where you are.
Say you're in the pub after work you can be notified that some guy you were chatting to is within 50metres of you. You can then message him through the app, or just wink. Crazy huh? Apparently they're working on a Augmented Reality version of this too...
If this all sounds a bit more Terminator 3 than romantic, you can switch that off and just use the app to browse the site as you would from a computer.
In what is quite a complicated app, there are several layers of privacy: you can give your exact location, be only identified by your tube stop, or hide your location to all but people you have favourited. The defaults are all set to the most private settings so you won't accidentally find yourself winking at your boss.
You can also set a status update letting people know that you're available for lunch or after work drinks.
Subscription to the full Lovestruck dating service is £24.95 a month, the same as Match, Meetic, Guardian Soul Mates and the Telegraph's Kindred Spirits. You can register for free and the site lets you look, wink and reply to messages on the free model. The app is free to anyone.
Pending approval on the Apple store, the Lovestruck app will be out in a week, if you're interested register to the dating site here: www.lovestruck.com and they'll notify when the app is out. Apps for Android and other platforms are apparently on the way too.
Online Dating: love is just a click away
The Telegraph
by Tamsin Kelly, 12 February 2010
These days, smart singletons are finding dates - and spouses - online.
It's lunchtime and lawyer Jane Kelly is busy tapping away at her laptop in a crowded City sandwich bar. But she's not catching up with work, she's firing off an email to her date for the evening, a man she's never met but whose emails make her smile, as they arrange where and when to meet for a drink.
''A few years ago, people would say something along the lines of, 'you are brave' or, 'surely you don't need to do that?' " recalls Kelly, 36. "Now the question is more likely to be, 'which site are you using?' Everybody's doing it - even some of my mother's friends."
According to the dating site Parship seven million Britons, half of all single people, will log on to find love this year. And they won't simply be looking to ward off temporary boredom or loneliness - one in five online daters will marry someone they meet online.
As Brett Harding, founder of Lovestruck says, ''the perception of online dating only being for the desperate vanishes when you discover your own friends are hard at it.''
As technology improves, searching for your perfect match online is becoming more sophisticated. Harding gleefully conjures up a brave new world of date-stamped profile pictures (if you're in your forties, that glowing university summer ball picture just won't do) and "real time" profiles.
Instead of tedious paragraphs about your GSOH (good sense of humour) and love of long walks, your profile will be linked to Facebook and Twitter, so prospective partners can check out your credibility with friends, and even what you did at the weekend.
Alarmingly, Harding predicts a time when first dates will occur via a brutal-sounding video call, installed on your iPhone.
''If the chemistry is there, you can agree to meet. If it's not, it makes sense not to waste each other's time,'' he says. ''The first date could also be a virtual one in a scene of your choice. Members will have avatars and will change their expressions and gestures by clicking a mouse."
For many, this will probably be a techno step too far. What if one wrong click results in an unintended gesture? But today, even for the technology-phobic, there's no excuse to be home alone when the modern way of looking for love is so easy.
Vanessa Mason, from Kingston, works for the bridal magazine You and Your Wedding, but had given up hope of ever finding her life partner. Then she met Matthew, a marketing consultant, through Lovestruck ("where busy people click"), a site that matches time-strapped City singletons by postcode. Matthew proposed on St Valentine's Day last year.
Vanessa says:
"Once you're in your thirties it's so difficult to meet people. I really thought I was going to be left on the shelf with the ketchup. The prospect of yet another weekend alone finally propelled me into joining Lovestruck. The idea of finding love in your lunch hour appealed. There's the excuse of having to get back to work and the safety of daylight if it's clear that it's going nowhere. After my initial terror, I found myself lunching with up to three different men a week.
"After a few months I spotted Matthew's profile — well actually my grandmother and my sister did when I showed them the site. We liked the photo of him looking rugged after climbing a mountain in Borneo and the fact he'd worked in Switzerland for six years, which is where I was brought up.
We met for a sandwich near our offices for our first date. It felt really natural. Every time we met, we just talked and talked. But I only realised it was something special when Matthew insisted I go to Kew Gardens on a Saturday. Instead of quick drinks after work, we had the whole day to chat and lounge in the sun. I think what really made me fall in love with Matthew was how he ended up chasing me — a bit of old-fashioned romance rather than just quick emails and rushed meetings.
When Matthew proposed, he got down on one knee in our favourite spot in Richmond Park and presented me with the most beautiful diamond ring. I burst into tears of happiness.
We got married in August last year and our first baby is due this July. I'm so glad I did internet dating, because I never thought I could be as happy as I am now."
Matthew says:
"I tried speed dating. I used to work in sales and I thought I could easily sell myself in three minutes. But I came out feeling I'd laid myself open, bared my soul to strangers and gained nothing.
Meeting Vanessa was the total opposite: a very slow burn where we really got to know each other. She is just such an amazing person and we have so much in common — our upbringing, our values, a love of nature and the outdoors. It seems almost impossible that we could be so compatible and that we have found each other."
The New Matchmakers
The Daily Express
by Sadie Dodds, 16 January 2010
MARRIED TO THE JOB
Brett Harding, 37, launched www.lovestruck.com in 2006 to try to unite professionals working in offices close to one another in cities across the UK. Brett says:
My best friend has just got engaged thanks to finding a lovely lady on my dating site and a female friend is about to move in with a guy she met on there. Best of all we now have more than 100 weddings and engagements to our name and those are just the ones we know about.
Last September I even received an e-mail from Vanessa, who used to work on Vogue magazine, to tell me that she'd met her Mr Right,
Matthew, through us and that they'd married in August. I decided to try internet dating a few years ago while I was a business consultant. I discovered quickly that the massive sites were full of single people but with no filter to allow me to quickly find like-minded professionals who worked in the same area as me.
That's when I came up with Lovestruck, a dating site that would introduce professional singletons who worked near each other. They could communicate via the site then test their chemistry over lunch with the genuine excuse that they had to get back to the office if it didn't work out.
Three years later Lovestruck is now available to professionals and office workers in cities throughout the UK. We've had 40,000 members through our door with around 7,000 active on the site at any one time.
Kiss those New Year dating blues goodbye
The Londonpaper
by Laura Stott, 14 January 2009
Regardless of the weather or anything else, January is the best month to be single. One in four couples will split this month, which means plenty of Londoners will find themselves newly single. If you've just come out of a long-term relationship, it can be hard to know where to begin getting back into the dating game. Online dating, singles nights - there are no shortage of places for singletons to meet.
But if you've been put off by speed dating and are unsure how to get back on the market, here are our tips for dating success:
Being newly single can mean that your network of friends has been cut in two with people you both knew feeling pressured to choose sides. Build up your social network again by saying "yes" to everything you are invited to, whether it's parties, dinners, gallery openings or sports events.
If you haven't had a date since your split, make a late resolution to give logging on a go. There are dating sites out there for every type of group, from age to race and religion. So whether you are after a like-minded City lesbian (citypink.co.uk), a man in uniform (uniformdating.com) or just someone you have something in common with - there is no excuse not to find your match in cyberspace.
For workaholics who constantly check their watch or BlackBerry on a date, snack dating could be for you. Test the water with a mini date over coffee or a snack so you can briefly meet someone you like the look of without the stress of a full evening date. A quick rendezvous at lunch means you don't have to commit to a whole evening and you can escape quickly if it's not working out. This is also perfect for those who are nervy first daters. Singles wanting to meet for lunch, or even breakfast, can try London dating site lovestruck.com/london.
Above all, take things slowly. Repeat to yourself: "I do not need to meet the love of my life this month." Try not to put too much pressure on yourself to replace a lost love. You may even enjoy being single again, so make good use of your bachelor(ette) status.
Seven-card stud needs good hands
The Londonpaper
by Fong Chau, 11 November 2008
Betting on the unknown is something poker players and singles do every day. Both involve big risks, and you'll crash and burn if you can't tell the truth from a bluff.
So in an effort to help the capital's singles improve their love chances, online gaming site and online dating site Lovestruck.com have set up a poker school, where techniques such as reading body language and spotting a bluff are applied to dating.
Patrick Binding, a 30-year old education consultant from New Malden, went to the first event at the Hoxton Pony Club on Thursday to see if lady luck was on his side. He has been single for a year and has grown weary of trying to pick up girls in bars. "At least this way there's an ice-breaker@", he says.
Spotting two beautiful women buying drinks, he says: "There's no way I could start talking to them with a chat-up line, but now we have something mutual to talk about, it's not as intimidating or threatening."
Property developer Lara Kler agrees. The 37-year old from Wood Green describes herself as "painfully shy" but with her winning cards in hand, she's much more confident. "When I'm in bars I'd never go up to a man and talk to him, but as I'm sat next to one I've got no choice."
In fact, as she's speaking, the man Lara was sitting next to at the table walks up and gushes how "sweet and lovely" he thinks she is. Maybe he's shown his hand too early, but she doesn't seem to mind. "The poker has certainly made things a lot more comfortable," Lara comments, as she returns to the seat next to her admirer.
And the event has succeeded where many other singles events fail: it has attracted men. Any woman who's been speed-dating will tell you about the awkward 30 minutes of the evening she has spent standing like a wallflower because there are no men left.
But with a competitive game to play, the men have arrived in droves.
Having attended a number of singles events, Joanna Fanning, a banking PA from Friern Barnet, is pleasantly surprised by the ratio of the sexes: "There's practically the same number of men as there are women here," she says.
"I think some men are put off going to a singles night, such as speed-dating, because it's like they're asking for help, when they should be able to find someone without it. But tonight is very different. The men seem more confident and it doesn't feel like a singles-only night. "Even if I don't meet anyone, I feel like I've had a really good evening out anyway."
Dating expert and Lovestruck.com's founder Brett Harding says: "There are of similarities between dating and poker. A lot of bluffing goes on and you've got to be sure before you show your hand."
Gambling with your heart may seem like a dangerous game but if you get it right, the rewards can be huge.
Six of the best dating sites
Daily Telegraph
August 2008
Find love in your lunchtime
Cosmopolitan
June 2008
Those in urgent need of romance will be delighted that Lovestruck.com has devised a way for us to find a man, like, now! As you click your way through potential love matches, their FreeForLunch and FreeTonight buttons show who's available for lunch or drinks after work, so hot dates can be arranged without wasting a second.
Dating: rites and wrongs of the game
The Telegraph
10 May 2008
It should be a pleasurable experience, but it's astounding how often a first date turns out to be just the opposite.
I give you the millionaire property developer who was so tight that he spent half an hour complaining that my gin and tonic had set him back £6.50. Then there was the vegetarian who was puce with outrage because I'd ordered a medium-rare steak. And don't get me started on my nightmare evening with quite the dullest man in Christendom (dehumidifiers anyone?).
As American comedian Jerry Seinfeld once put it: "Dating is pressure and tension. What is a date but a job interview that lasts all night?" And, in this post-feminist age, the rules of the Venus and Mars game seem even more complicated. So what does constitute modern dating etiquette?
The Pizza Express restaurant chain (admittedly not the most obvious romantic destination) recently polled 1,600 of its customers aged 18 and over and, if its results are anything to go by, it seems that the British are still a pretty traditional lot in matters of courtship.
Good manners are rated as very important, as is a good sense of humour, but getting plastered is frowned on by both genders. Men are more likely to be impressed by women who can't take their eyes off them and women still expect their date to pay the bill. More than 60 per cent of women said that it would contribute to a less pleasurable experience if they had to cough up, but then I'm guessing you didn't need a survey to tell you that.
If you did, then you might also be interested to hear that Sam van Rood, the Australian author of Teach Yourself Flirting and GMTV's self-styled Love Doctor, offers one-to-one dating tuition. "A lot of my male clients are confused about whether they should pay, or make the first move," he says. "Blokes brought up by feminist mothers were told women could look after themselves and, although the pendulum has swung back, they haven't adjusted to that yet." To them I say: Boys, it's not about the money but the "I want to know I'm worth 50 quid" principle. Happily for women, nine out of 10 men who frequent Pizza Express do appear to have adjusted sufficiently and expect to pick up the tab.
In fact, Sam advises that, for a first date, you should avoid restaurants (keep that for the third date) and instead go out and do something. His preferred options are ice-skating and rock-climbing. If that sounds too dangerous, head for an art gallery.
"You shouldn't be having any serious conversations so early, otherwise it becomes an eyeball-to-eyeball, 'You tell me your history and I'll tell you mine' session." Is political chat permissible? "Yes because it's non-personal and can be very flirtatious." But on no account, he warns, show your war wounds. Talking in bitter detail about ex-partners is never wise.
A successful date, on the other hand, brings up the prospect of a post-date "coffee". Ah yes, the coffee routine: as old as the hills and still going strong.
In fact, according to the survey, nationally only 13 per cent said they would stay on for breakfast (at 16 per cent, they're a slightly racier lot in Scotland). Whether it's lack of opportunity, lack of stamina or - in the case of 40-plus women - lack of a full complement of night creams, the older you are the less likely you'll be tempted to take it further than a kiss on the cheek. As for arranging a second date, 40 per cent of women see that as solely the man's job.
Does such a snapshot survey really tell us anything? "It shows the traditional ways are best," says Sam firmly. What about the many married couples who did extend their first date into the following morning? "There are exceptions, but if a woman sticks to the rules she's giving a clear message to the man how to play it. Sleep with a man too soon and he won't think you're a keeper." It may be the 21st century but, in the dating game, it's still a case of plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose.
Brett Harding, founder of Lovestruck.com, suggests some simple ways to ensure that your first date goes smoothly.
For the woman
For the man
Online dating with a twist
Evening Echo
9 April 2008
Fancy the guy you see in the coffee shop every lunchtime or got the hots for the girl you see in the car park after work every day?
A new website could now see those furtive glances you exchange become an actual date. Lovestruck.com, which recently launched in Dublin, matches people who work close by.
It's proved hugely successful since its launch in London last year, with 'lovestruckers' meeting for coffee, lunch or after-work drinks. And only two weeks after opening its doors in Dublin, 'LovestruckDubliners' are already making the most of this completely free service which could soon expand to Cork.
Brett Harding, founder of Lovestruck.com explained: "Like London, Dublin has thousand of singles of all ages working in the city centre. You probably pass people you fancy every day and never speak to them and they might work just around the corner. The site aims to prevent the chance of love - or lust - literally passing you by."
The free dating site also lets members see who are 'free for lunch' or 'free tonight' - a quick email later and they could have a date. "This ground-breaking feature offers immediate dating; no waiting, no endless emailing, no winking. It's live second-to-second flirting, and a great way to break up - or end - the working day," said Brett.
For the shy or work-conscious, the site also has an advanced privacy tool that allows their photo or narrative to be viewed at their discretion. "Internet dating with a side order of privacy," is how Brett sums it up.
Brett is keen to develop the site in Cork but first wants to gauge the level of interest here. Anyone who would like to use the service should email cork@lovestruck.com - once 100 emails are received it will be set up here. For more information, or to sign up, visit Lovestruck.com
Eeny, meeny, miny, moe!
Company
April 2008
You've met the guys, gone on the dates, but somehow something's always been...not..quite..right. But could your dating demands be ruining your love life. We set up one reader with her 'dream' and 'nightmare' dates to put her to the test. So who did she pick?
You're on your third date in a week, yet the man you're with looks exactly like the last two and has an uncanny resemblance to your ex. It's time to ask: why do you always end up with the same bloke?
Scientists say we all have a genetic dating DNA that makes us go for a certain kind of man. It's partly our Dad's fault - if we have a good relationship with him, we're drawn to similar men. Eek! Our menstrual cycle also pays a part - at the beginning of our cycle, we go for bad boys, and, when we're ovulating, we want marriage material.
But, if we only go for one 'type' of man, could we be missing out on the right man? To test the theory, we asked one Company reader to go on two very different dates. With the help of dating site www.lovestruck.com, we found guys who fitted her best and worst date criteria. So which man will win her heart?
The DNA-date tester
Ellie Halls, 28, an events organiser from Buckinghamshire, tends to go for city slickers, who dress smart and talk smart. "I'm attracted to the confidence of city boys, but become turned off by their arrogance. I'm sick of meeting the same men time and time again. But I don't know if I can change my type."
The nightmare date
'Jazz Maverick' Time, 25, a website developer from Reading, is laid-back, arty and creative. He describes himself as a music lover who loves sleep, gigs, the opera and arthouse films. Oh dear...
Ellie says: "From start to finish, my dating with Tim was a constant surprise. I couldn't believe it when he called me just before the date to double-confirm the time he'd be there. I don't think anyone has been that courteous before. But, then, when he walked into the restaurant, my first impression was that he definitely wasn't my type. He had the indie, arty, band-frontman look, which i hate. But I thought I'd just go with it, as he was pretty handsome under the scruffiness. He made some interesting conversation and listened to what I had to say, which alot of guys aren't very good at. We chatted about everything. The waiter even had to come back twice to take our order. The only turn-off was he seemed unsure of what to to and whether to order drinks, and I found myself taking the lead, which was strange. I'm used to a man being in control. The time flew by and, at the end of the night, I found myself wanting to stay longer. I would have run a mile before, but I was pleasantly surprised by how well I got on with someone who wasn't part of my usual dating scene."
The dream date
'City guru' Andy, 27, is a banker and Cambridge graduate from London. His profile says he wants to meet someone special, fun and down-to-earth to explore London with. He's also Ellie's ideal fun-loving city boy.
Ellie says: When I arrived late, I was a bit flustered and couldn't find him. But when I did, I could see exactly why he was picked for my dream date. He was wearing a suit and looked impeccably dressed. He went straight to the bar and ordered me a drink, which i really liked! Once we started talking, I felt he was a bit too nice, though. Although the conversation was easy, we just didn't seem to click, and I wasn't as engrossed as I was on the previous date. I felt like I actually didn't have that much in common with Andy. It surprised me, considering he was, on paper, my ideal man. I sent him my email address, but I'm not sure I'll bother with a second date."
Ellie's verdict: "I'm really surprised! The date has shown me that the stereotype I've been looking for might not be the right one. Or at least I don't have to stick to it quite so rigidly! Although I think I want a tall, dark handsome stranger - he's not in the same mould I had him in before. He might even be more of a creative, thoughtful type, after all. I suppose I've learnt that the person I really want to date is someone I click with, rather than someone who fits into a certain list of characteristics."
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Lovestruck.com's 4 steps to breaking dating deja vu
1. If you're attracted to a certain type, question it! What do you hope they'll offer that others can't? Try to expand your parameters by thinking about what makes someone attractive - believe us, it's not just looks!
2. You say 'tomayto', he says 'tomarto'. Opposites can - and often do - attract. Life would be boring if we had a partner who matched our every trait, so don't dismiss someone who thinks, acts or dresses differently to you.
3. Think long-term. Ok, he may not be George Clooney, but is he generous and kind? Remember that lust does not equal love (although it helps!)
4. How will you know someone isn't right for you if you don't give them a chance? Be optimistic and make that dating-type change. You may just surprise yourself.
Visit www.lovestruck.com to help you find the perfect man. You can even find out who's free for lunch or drinks after work every day!
Site to prevent love passing you by
Metro Ireland
26 March 2008
Finding love in your lunch hour may sound like the name of a romantic comedy, but it's the basis of a new matchmaking website. Lovestruck.com has been launched to match single Dubliners with people who work close by. LovestruckDublin allows members to see who is 'free for lunch' or 'free tonight.'
'You probably pass people you fancy every day and never speak to them and they might just work around the corner', said site founder Brett Harding. 'The site aims to prevent the chance of love - or lust - literally passing you by."
www.lovestruck.com/dublin
Love Struck
Moving Manchester
March 2008
If you're single and like the idea of instant gratification, this is for you. A new Manchester dating site offers just that, thanks to its unique ability to match you with other singles who live and work nearby. Members can click a button which reveals they're 'free for lunch' and 'free tonight', so you can be on a date within minutes of registering. Whatever happened to The Rules?
www.lovestruck.com/manchester
Efficient dating with workday quickies
Hereisthecity.com
10 March 2008
Sick of Match? You're not alone - although we do love the Cupid & Fate ad campaign. Here's another option: find someone who works near you, then meet up with them this lunchtime - or after work - or, hell, during work (their suggestion, not ours).
Captivated by the retro-cartoon graphics and multitude of witticisms, I signed up for the free two-day trial. (Full disclosure: As I've already found my perfect man, the plan is to take my photo-less profile down before it goes live, so I won't be regaling you with tales of mid-day rendezvous. But if one of you single readers would like to sign up and do so, fab! Please get in touch.)
The profile questions are the ones you'd expect: do you smoke/drink/have kids, what do you like to do/read/think/wear, along with some space for your own words on your gorgeous self (again, their words, but see how nice it sounds?).
And then there's the important one: By what tube station do you work?
I entered Mansion House (in honour of my husband), and hit Finish. In searching the Little Black Book (cute, right?) for a guy between 35-38 who works in my/his area, one comes up. He looks good. A further nine work by St. Paul's, and another 19 work by Bank. In fact, the profile for one of the Bank guys is definitely going over to my catch of a single friend...
From there, we move west across London, past Victoria to...Canary Wharf, which features more bachelors.
And if you're open for business, you can select a tag that you're free for lunch/dinner/all day/not at all - just making that spontaneous coffee even easier.
Of course, the downside of meeting people around your office is that you'll run into them when getting lunch at Pret or stopping by the shoe repair place.
But the upside? Convenience on so many levels.
Dally not dear heart. Sign up now.
It's not too late to find a date
Evening Standard
7 February 2008
Looking for a last minute Valentine date? Check out internet dating site lovestruck.com (click on 'London'). It caters for both straight and gay and has just introduced two new sections, "free for lunch" and "free tonight."
So by dinner time Mr or Miss Right/Right Now could be sitting opposite you.
www.lovestruck.com
Last-minute lovers
Mens Health
February 2008
Those stuck for a date this Valentine's can find a love match working just around the corner, thanks to some new features on the www.lovestruck.com site.
The "FreeForLunch" and "FreeTonight" features allow Lovestruck.com members to simply click a button on their profile that'll enable them to automatically appear on dedicated instant-dating pages.
Visit those pages, see who else is available there and ping off an email - who knows there could be a date waiting nearby for either lunch or after-work drinks. "This is immediate dating: no waiting, no endless emailing, no winking. It's live second-to-second flirting," says site founder Brett Harding.
Lovestruck - Love online
Easyjet in-flight magazine
February 2008
Stuck for a date this Valentine's? Perhaps a dating site might work for you...
"I was really cynical about joining a dating site a few months ago, but I was working in London, one of the best cities in the world with plenty of amazing people and still not finding anyone. I joined Lovestruck.com because they match you with others who work nearby, which seemed the best way to meet all those men I quite fancied in the street who passed me by. I was really nervous the first time I agreed to a lunchdate, as often people can be very different from their written profile and photo. Luckily, he was actually better in the flesh and we really hit it off. Sadly, he had to move to the other side of the world. I was recently informed that I was Lovestruck.com's most popular female, which boosted my confidence, and made me chuckle. I'm finally enjoying the whole dating experience, it's also the easiest solution as I'm so busy with work."
"Like most guys my hunt for the perfect woman was never meant to end in the mysterious nether-world of online dating. I had a horrible feeling I was going to end up in a strange parallel universe of librarians, recluses and people who were afraid of daylight. But I eventually decided that if it didn't kill my love life then it should at least enhance it. So, in 20 minutes I was up on the site, and 10 minutes after that a normal (yes, really) and extremely pretty girl had, well, pushed my button. So I guess you could say I'm a convert." www.lovestruck.com
Find last-minute love on Valentine's Day
Reveal
February 2008
City singles looking for last-minute love could be just a click away from their dream date this Valentine's Day. Dating website Lovestruck.com has set up a service for members to find same day lunch or dinner dates. Lovestruck.com matches its members according to the area they work in, making it easier for last-minute romance.
Meet the web's most wanted single women
New Woman
January 2008
They get marriage proposals, hundreds of messages and men falling over themselves for a date. So what are these four online daters doing that's so, so right?
26-year old sales executive, Clara Davies, was showcased on Lovestruck.com's 'Monday Morning Matches' and received more emails in her first month than any other woman. What makes her so wanted?
Jenni Trent Hughes, life coach and co-presenter of 'Perfect Match' says 'This is one of the best profiles I've ever seen. Clara's chatty writing style shows she's a unique and more importantly, interesting, woman. You don't often come across a 26-year old who's into adrenalin sports and listens to the Beach Boys - what's a guy not to like? If he's going to be bored after reading a paragraph about you, he certainly won't relish the prospect of a whole evening, so pick the most unique traits of your character for your profile and focus on them for your online dating profile.'
Clare Watson, celebrity stylist at tramp2vamp.com says 'This headshot will definitely attract the guys as it's so natural. It shows all her features and she hasn't caked the make-up on, so we get a clear look at her. The worst thing to do is go for a retouched or a studio pic when online dating, as that screams fake and shallow.'
An admirer's view: 'When I spotted Clara on Lovestruck.com it was impossible to resist getting in touch - she sounded really approachable and her kooky interests drew me in. We arranged to meet for a drink and she was about 150 hours late, but that only heightened the anticipation and made me see that she was as independent as her profile seemed. The date completely lived up to expectations - she was engaging and fun, and I didn't realise the time until we were shown the door by the bar staff.'
What Clara says: 'I was a bit wary about the whole internet dating thing at first - it's always smacked of desperation. But I have to say it's worked more than I have ever thought it would! I can't believe that even when I'm up to my eyes in work, hair scraped back and no make-up my profile is flirting on my behalf and men seem really interested. I'm so flattered. I've finally let myself believe I'm more than just plain old Clara and I've got dates lined up for the next three weeks!'
Londoners and New Yorkers in the same Love Boat
New York Sun
11 December 2007
With so much work at the office, who has time for dating? In London, over 10,000 busy, hard-working people have found a solution. Thanks to an online dating service called Lovestruck.com, these romantic hopefuls leave their desks for a quick lunch date, or meet for a drink at the end of the day — without straying too far from the office.
If there's no chemistry, a guy or gal can just return to work or head home without too much awkwardness. And if there's a spark, the two have their working neighborhood in common as a good beginning.
Now Lovestruck.com is coming to New York, and the first 2,000 people who sign up receive a free membership.
Marketing consultant Brett Harding, who set up the site, based the search engine on where people work. "It's totally different to anything else that is out there," Harding told Reuters.
Using the work-based approach to finding romance bridges the chasm between speed dating and normal dating.
"Speed dating is three minutes and mentally exhausting as you circle the room and talk to people. Conventional dating is time intensive and you do invest an awful lot in it," he said. "You know if the chemistry is there in minutes. If you go out at lunchtime you have the perfect get-out clause — I've got to get back to the office."
Whether you work near Piccadilly Circus or Times Square, there may be something exciting happening around the corner.
"This is fantastic for the busy, single London and New York professionals who know what they want," Harding said.
No time to be lonely
Men's Health
10 December 2007
One in 10 online daters will invent an 'imaginary' partner to put a stop to unwanted enquiries about their love lives this Xmas. If you're struggling to find a filly to fill a space at the Xmas lunch table then try lovestruck.com. This time-sensitive dating service is designed to hook you up with people who work nearby.
"For a good hit rate be and fill the content of your message with mentions of stuff in her profile", says lovestruck founder Brett Harding.
Our Love Story: Christmas Special
Reveal
4 December 2007
Christmas has a very special meaning for this lady. Read on to see how she found love during the festive season...
'I joined lovestruck.com last December as I wasn't looking forward to another lonely Christmas at home with the family. Shortly after I signed up, I spotted Tom. He said he'd joined for the same reason as me, so we decided to meet on Christmas Eve and share a festive drink. We really hit it off and by Boxing Day, we were choosing belated Christmas gifts for each other. We then spent New Year's Eve together in Ireland. We became inseparable. He might not have made it to Christmas dinner last year, but he'll definitely be around the table this year!'
Find love in your lunch hour
The Sun
5 November 2007
I'VE always been a little wary of online dating but after last week's success with Neil I've been converted to logging on in search of love. Neil and I have exchanged a few texts since our date but the spark just wasn't there and we haven't made any plans to meet up. So I decided it was safe to try another type of online dating without offending him.
Lovestruck.com is a new website where you can look for dates who work near you. The idea is that while we all spot gorgeous guys on the way to work every day — or buying a sandwich at lunchtime — we never actually go up and talk to them. Lovestruck aims to get you talking to those blokes.
So you could start messaging a guy who works just around the corner in the morning then be meeting him for a drink in your lunch hour.
With my new-found confidence in chatting online I signed up to the site on Monday morning, making sure I posted my most flattering photo along with my profile. There aren't many men around on the Sun Woman desk, so I was looking forward to seeing if there really were any gorgeous guys working near The Sun's HQ in London.
According to Lovestruck there were plenty of nice blokes working nearby. Monday morning was soon getting much more interesting as I began striking up conversations online. I got chatting with Barnaby Scothern, a 29-year-old office manager from Witham, Essex, who was not very far away in Islington, North London.
He looked nice in his photo and as we seemed to be getting on well I decided to take the plunge and we arranged to meet for lunch the next day. Because we were both coming from the office, we had planned to get some fresh air in a park before grabbing something to eat. At Angel Tube station I didn't recognise Barnaby at first as he had shaved off the beard in his profile picture. On the plus side, he was much better looking without it.
Barnaby seemed like an easy-going guy and as he'd just returned to the UK after working abroad for a while we had plenty to chat about. Over lunch he told me he hadn't had a serious relationship for about eight years. As a lot of his friends had either married or were coupled up long term it was becoming harder to meet new people, which was why he had decided to go online.
He'd chosen Lovestruck because as he lived in Essex but worked in London, the location of anyone he was dating was important. Like me, he thought the site was great. I agree. It's often hard to find time to go on dates in the evening when you have a busy job, so this was a really good way to meet new people without having to commit to a whole evening with a stranger.
We both admitted it had crossed our minds that if we didn't get on, at least you knew that you wouldn't offend your date by leaving early. Unlike a dinner date, at lunchtime you always have the excuse of needing to get back to the office.
It was hard to tell if anything else will happen with me and Barnaby because an hour wasn't really long enough to get to know someone. But it was really nice to have a date over lunchtime and it certainly made a typical day at work more interesting.
THIS WEEK'S TALLY: Lots of messages from nice men nearby and one lunch date.
POTENTIAL FOR LOVE: Flirting while working is definitely a great idea for busy singletons and well worth a try.
Lovestruck.com have sites for all major cities in the UK. Log on for more details.
Lovestruck.com at various locations
City AM
5 November 2007
Finding someone you can share your life with - or even just an evening date - can be tough in London. To help ease the trauma, lovestrucklondon.com has evolved from its former shape as a lunchtime dating website.
Distance can play a big role in whether a relationship is successful, so lovestrucklondon.com allows you to search for potential partners by the nearest Tube stations or landmark to where you work. This way you're more likely to find someone who works in the same industry.
Lovestruck.com is now available for city singles to mingle in the following locations: London, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dublin, New York and Chicago.
Love is in the air for single Brummies
Birmingham Independent
2 November 2007
A BRAND new website has launched in Birmingham matching single people to others who work close by.
www.lovestruck.com is the only dating site in UK to boast this successful concept. Having launched in the second city last week, they will be taking the UK by storm by launching in the other major cities.
The concept has proved a great success in London, with 'lovestruckers' enjoying being able to meet for coffee, lunch, or a stroll in their much-needed work break, or an after-work drink or meal should they wish.
Brett Harding, founder of lovestruck.com explains, "Like London, Birmingham has thousands of singles of all ages commuting into the city centre on a daily basis. You can pass someone you fancy every day and never speak to them and they might just work around the corner. The site aims to prevent the chance of love literally passing you by."
"The site seems to have struck a chord. We've had 22,000 London Members and two weddings after just a year to date. Pretty good odds, wouldn't you agree?"
Lovestruck's most popular Member, Clara, speaks of her experience with the London site, "I joined Lovestruck.com three months ago and quickly realised that the 'stigma' attached to online dating no longer exists. I've been lucky enough to meet a variety of fun, attractive and interesting guys. I was really surprised to be told I receive the most views/winks on site as I consider myself very down-to-earth, as you could see from my written profile. I always look forward to seeing who's emailed me next. In fact, I've got a date with a very handsome guy tomorrow!"
Currently offering Birmingham city centre workers totally free 'unlimited messaging' Membership until March 2008, the website is also offering those receiving the most 'winks' a meal at top restaurant Must Birmingham with a fellow 'lovestrucker' of their choice. The lucky couple can enjoy dinner, champagne and cocktails on Valentine's Day.
For more information on the competition, or to sign up to the website, visit www.lovestruck.com/birmingham
Find love online
Men's Health
October 2007
The Meet: Suggest meeting for a mid-week lunch. If there's no attraction, you can 'have to get back to work' after a quick coffee says Brett Harding, founder of lovestruck.com, "For evening dates, choose somewhere close to the station or bus stop," says Harding. "If she's squeezed into her most sadistic heels for you, don't reward her with a hike. And always give her the seat facing into the bar/restaurant. It's basic chivalry and it'll stop your eye wandering.;
Increase your online chances
Men's Health
25 September 2007
Unassuming (username withheld) from West London, claims he's sartorially challenged, can't cook for love nor money and drives a car that cost less than his toaster - yet over 2000 females have shown an interest in the marketing man who possesses the 'most-viewed male profile' on dating site www.lovestrucklondon.com.
His much-viewed blog has also received 350 'winks' from admiring lasses and so far he's been on a dozen dates. "That does include one with a lesbian who was trying to make her ex jealous and a girl who wanted to get a business deal out of me!" he explains. So what is it that makes his profile such a popular page?
According to him, the three key steps to online success are to be:
Be her Mister Right
Men's Health
13 September 2007
With an estimated six million of us dabbling in online dating the competition is stiff to say the least. The margin between romantic victory and lonely defeat often hinges on your personal profile. Knowing what and what not to say can be the deal breaker for the woman in search of 'Mr Right' and summing yourself up in one paragraph isn't easy. Brett Harding, founder of dating site lovestruck.com, has spotted a few golden rules among his site's members entries that help them stand out from the crowd:
Play-up the positive
"Highlight the things you like," says Harding. "This is the easiest way to form a snapshot in words. Certainly don't list of things you hate - negativity is so not hot."
Avoid clichés... like the plague
If you describe yourself as someone who likes 'going out and meeting friends, or staying in with a bottle of wine and a DVD', then frankly you sound like everyone she's ever met. Be original.
Make them smile
Use humour. A 'GSOH' is at the top of many daters' shopping lists. But don't just say you're funny, show that you're funny - write about what makes you laugh or even funny things that have happened to you on your profile. This shows you're fun and not taking yourself too seriously.
LOVESTRUCKLONDON.COM
City AM
9 August 2007
This lively London online dating site - formerly LunchdateLondon.com - is designed for busy Londoners too caught up in the City maelstrom to find love. The main draw of the newly relaunched site is a sophisticated search engine which enables members to look for potential romantic interest by location of workplace as well as the more traditional search criteria.
More than 12,000 Londoners have become members since last year, proving the appeal of dating someone who works near you - and most likely in a similar industry.
UK online dating review
Debbie Does Dating
23 July 2007
If you are a busy professional in London, than LunchdateLondon is the site for you. You'll get access to potential dates who work near your tube stop. The idea is you can meet them for lunch, a quick drink, or afternoon coffee - meaning more dates, less wasted time.
LunchdateLondon is a great UK dating site: it's simple and easy to use, low cost and the quality of the members is high. If you are looking for some mid-day romance, then try a free 5 day trial membership that offers full member access.
Add love to your lunchbreak
London Lite
17 July 2007
Brilliant dating service lunchdatelondon.com matches Londoners witgh dates close to their place of work, so you can arrange a light-hearted lunchbreak meeting instead of a loaded dinner date.
There are currently 11,000 registrants aged 21 upwards, all professionals and vetted by the site. If you don't hit it off, you've got the office as a get-out clause. If you do, cancel your meetings and go for it!
Emerge victorious from the online dating scrum
The Londonpaper
7 March 2007
For the six million or so of us poised to enter the online dating battleground this year, the margin between romantic victory and lonely defeat often hinges on just two words – personal profile.
Knowing what and what not to say can make all the difference when it comes to attracting the right people. But there are lots of angles to cover. Should you be yourself or shouldn't you? Here are a few golden rules to remember when posting the perfect profile:
In the world of online dating, your photo is the first thing people clap eyes on. It sounds blindingly obvious, but don't take a blurry shot on your camera phone and never put up a 'ghost sighting' of an ex-partner, says match.com's dating and relationship expert Kate Taylor. Ghost sightings are pictures which (mostly) men use, of them with their arm around a girl with her face scrubbed out in white. Pick one that has you smiling – no pouting.
As for actual content, Brett Harding, of London dating agency lunchdatelondon.com, says it should be a "whiff of the essence of you", leaving something to the imagination. Keep it no more than 250 words long. "Stand out by using song lyrics from an obscure 80s hit, or write 100 words on why you love Jaffa Cakes. Don't just write shopping lists in what you want in a partner – it can scare potentials off.'
Another rule is to avoid being negative – hard if you are fresh from an ended relationship. The worst mistake is to say "I can't believe i'm internet dating," according to Harding, especially seeing as the other person might not feel the same way. Negativity is one quality people don't look for in a partner and with good reason. Harding says it's not sexy.
Just as negativity isn't sexy, boasting or lying abour your build, salary and car brand is equally a turn-off. Similarly, cliches are also online dating landmines, including well-worn phrases such as 'work hard, play hard' and 'love nights out and cosy nights in'.
There's nothing wrong with text speak – but restrict it to your phone. On a profile, it'll make you look idiotic, and pay attention to bad spelling or grammar. Writing in upper case and widespread use of exclamation marks or smiley faces can go down badly, warns Harding. "Lots of exclamation marks makes you sound breathless and overly excited."
Psychiatrists and relationship expert Dr Victoria Lukats says you should reveal something, particularly things that invite further questions, but nothing too serious. If all else fails, use humour, advises Taylor. "But don't just say that you're funny, show that you're funny."
Too busy for romance? Find love over lunch
Reuters
1 November 2006
Busy Londoners who sacrifice their love life for their career are being given the chance to meet their perfect match – over a sandwich in their lunch hour. A new dating site for London, www.lunchdateLondon.com, pairs off people working near to each other who want to find romance but don't have much spare time and need to be back at their desks within an hour or so.
Marketing consultant Brett Harding, who set up the site, believes that matching people by their job location helps to ease first-date jitters and can help overcome the traditional British reserve.
"We based our search engine on where you work. It's totally different to anything else that is out there," Harding told Reuters. "They could be working within 500 metres of where you are and yet you never had the guts to talk to them."
His advice? Keep the first date short and sweet. "If you click, great – see them that evening for something a little more romantic" he said. "But if you don't, you can down your pinot or panini and say your goodbyes."
Harding, who boasts over 2,000 profiles on the site after running an advertising flyer campaign outside London subway stations, wants to export his site to New York, Chicago and Sydney. He says using the work-based approach to finding romance bridges the chasm between speed dating and normal dating.
"Speed dating is three minutes and mentally exhausting as you circle the room and talk to people. Conventional dating is time intensive and you do invest an awful lot in it," he said. "You know if the chemistry is there in minutes. If you go out at lunchtime you have the perfect get-out clause – I've got to get back to the office."
Critics may accuse Harding of knocking romance on the head – and Harding agrees that his approach is more practical than romantic. "But what is romantic about getting drunk in a nightclub and not being able to hear a word they say? In the daytime it's safer for women and it is cheaper than a full evening date," he said.
The site managed to pair off 50 couples in the first nine weeks after it was set up with happy customers proving to be the best way of spreading the news.
"I find that good word of mouth is worth many advertising campaigns. This is fantastic for the busy, single London professional who knows what they want," Harding said.
Make a date with a romantic website
The Wharf
12 October 2006
Living the high-flying executive life in Canary Wharf is all well and good – but it won't leave you much time for love. Although the estate is crawling with eligible Wharfers, it's difficult to meet Mr or Miss Right when you're chained to your desk.
But a new American-style dating concept is sweeping the Wharf which looks set to change all that. London dating website lunchdatelondon.com aims to help busy Londoners find love in their lunch hour. It lists singles by their profession and the area where they work, rather than where they live.
The website is based on the idea that, as even the busiest of London professionals has to pop out for a sandwich at some point, they can combine their break with an informal date.
The London online dating site was launched in September by Brett Harding after he found his own social life curtailed by work commitments.
"About a year ago I was a marketing consultant for Barclays and spent quite a lot of time in Canary Wharf," he says. "I noticed it had a young, attractive population and at lunchtime it was absolutely crazy."
Lunchtime dating is popular in fast-paced cities such as New York, where the workforce must make the most of every free moment. It's a unique concept here, however, where our famed 'British Reserve' has seen many of us waste an entire evening on a dire date.
"You tend to know whether you fancy someone within three minutes of meeting. At the end of the day it's all about chemistry," Brett says. "Alot of people have very good manners and will last it out until closing time on an evening date. With lunchtime dating, if you don't click you can use going back to the office as a get-out clause."
Since its launch seven weeks ago, London online dating agency lunchdatelondon.com has amassed 3,500 registered users and more than 1,600 profiles have so far been uploaded. Profiles are sorted by key criteria such as industry, age and proximity to a nominate Tube station. Daters are then assigned a 'heart' rating, so the most likely matches will be displayed first when searched. Phase two of lunchdatelondon.com's quest for London dating domination includes joining forces with a network of bars and restaurants. He says the site "saves you time and saves you money – a lunch date is alot cheaper. It's also less risky. You'll have to go back to work so you won't do something you'll end up regretting."
Singletons can now find love in their lunch hours
The Docklands
11 September 2006
Busy professionals in the Docklands can now find love in their lunch hour thanks to a new London dating website which matches members who work in the same area.
LunchdateLondon.com caters for professional singles without the time, or inclination, to spend whole evenings trawling London's bars or going on date after fruitless date, searching for that special someone to cuddle up to one sofa during winter.
The easy-to-use online dating website makes it easy to browse, flirt with and contact like-minded people and if you find a potential love match, meeting over lunch gives you a perfect get-out clause if it doesn't turn out as expected. You can even block people from contacting you or hide your profile if all the attention gets too much.
Creator of the lunch dating site, Brett Harding, of Islington, told The Docklands one of the main reasons the site came about was the hotbed of sexual tension produced by the hustle and bustle of almost 80,000 professionals in Canary Wharf. He said: "Lunchdatelondon.com is the first dating site to destigmatise online dating in London. It makes dating in London fun." He also says "It's much easier dating someone you have something in common with. Meeting people who work in the same area will provide something to chat about straight away. And by hooking up at lunchtime or for a quick drink after work, your evenings are still your own – until, of course, you fall in love."
Since the London-based internet dating site launched six weeks ago 3,300 people have registered and there are 1,500 full profiles.
What to see and do this week – Lunchdatelondon
City AM
2 October 2006
Too busy to find love? Well now an innovative new online dating website will sort out your romantic prospects at lunchtime. LunchdateLondon.com gives online dating a new twist by matching single professional Londoners who work in the same area of London. Instead of committing to a whole evening together they can meet in their lunch hour or for a quick drink after work.
The service provides an ideal way for busy professionals without the time to spend whole evenings searching London's bars or enduring date after fruitless date via traditional matchmaking sites. By hooking up at lunchtime or for a quick drink after work, your evenings are still your own – until, that is, you find love.
Lunchtime dating arrives in the City
The Londonpaper
29 September 2006
London's time-strapped singletons are leaving their sandwiches at home and logging on to a new dating website which pitches the lunch hour as the next dating battleground.
LunchdateLondon.com puts a spin on traditional dating websites by matching members according to the Tube station closest to their workplace, in the hope that they'll find passion over a panini. The website has struck a chord with busy Londoners, who work the longest hours in Europe, with the average age of its members being 30. More than 1,600 people have registered since its launch three weeks ago and half of those have posted full profiles.
Veteran cyber dater Brett Harding is the Islington-based dating website owner, who started using midday dates as a time-efficient way of sorting out the wheat from the chaff in the dating world.
"We all work long hours and would rather spend time with our friends than trawling the scene, " he says. "If you go on a no-spark date, that's an evening wasted. A lunch hour date means you can use getting back to the office as the perfect get-out clause."
With industries concentrated in the same areas of London, Harding believes grouping members by location can give daters a leg up in the compatibility stakes.
"Seventy per cent of people meet their partner in the workplace," he says. "It's much easier dating someone you have something in common with as it provides something to chat about."
The dating website's design is funky while the language is conversational, which reflects Harding's belief that "dating should be fun and light-hearted".
This was the allure for City IT analyst Peter Hemmings, 27, who signed up after splitting up with his girlfriend of three years.
"I'm not looking to get straight back into a relationship and Lunch date London's pretty chilled out," says Peter, who had just organised one such lunch meeting with a woman near his office in Liverpool Street.
"Evening dates work out to be a bit longer and more expensive, " he says. "And meeting up over lunch is less committal, which worked quite well as my first date's picture was a bit misleading."