Speed Dating | 40s-50s

Original Dating are bringing their speed dating night to The Cocktail Club on Thursday 11 February, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm, for the 40s and 50s crowd. It's a dedicated area of the venue, so you're in your own space rather than just out in the main bar.

The format is straightforward: each date lasts four minutes, with a break halfway through for a drink. The women stay seated while the men move around, and you'll get a Passion Passport™ to jot down notes on everyone you meet. The whole thing is run by Original Dating - Speed Dating London, who pitch it as face-to-face chemistry rather than screen-based swiping.

What happens after the night is where the app side of things comes in. You log into your Original Dating account and mark each person you met as Yes, No or Friend. At 5pm the next day, the matches are revealed, and you can message each other privately from there. One detail worth knowing: nobody ever sees a No, so you only hear from the people who actually matched with you.

Tickets are £25 each, with separate bookings for men and women, and there's an Early Bird price of £19 if you get yours in early. There are no tickets on the door, so you'll need to book in advance. The Cocktail Club is at 5-6 Gun Street in Reading, and the night runs from 7.30pm to 9.30pm.