Online dating apps are “boring” and “like a job”, the founder of an in-person dating club in London has said.
Speaking to the SW Londoner, Art Dating Club founders Isabella Tan, 29, and Jannah Maniego, 30, both spoke about their inspirations behind starting the company.
Jannah said: “The purpose of the organisation is to create a relaxed and safe environment for people to meet without any awkwardness”.
Isabella added online dating has become “boring” and “like a job”, with apps constantly mismatching users.
This comes as the time spent on the most popular dating apps has declined between 2023 and 2024, according to Ofcom’s 2024 Online Nation report.
Three of the biggest online dating apps, Tinder, Hinge and Bumble, saw major declines in their total adult reach in the UK.
Instead, singletons are turning to dating clubs that organise in person dates. One of them being, The Art Dating Club.
The organisation recognised the need for an activity based, in-person dating organisation to “unite the right people together”. They host ticketed dating events where singles speed date whilst engaged in simple arts and crafts.
They drew attention to the type of people that signed up to the speed dating events: “they take it more seriously”, “people are interested in community over just casual kind of relationships”. Because the Art Dating Club brings people together through activities, they “weed out anyone that wants something quick and casual as the activity unites people with a similar interest”.
The Art Dating Club has hosted events at £15 entry for singletons in London, the event consists of a period of speed dating where singles will get to know someone over an artistic activity, like painting or poetry.
Tinder experienced the largest decline, with a decrease in reach of 594k adults, from 2,488k in 2023 to 1,894k in 2024. Bumble experienced a decline of 368k, from 1,440k to 1072 and Hinge saw a decline of 131k from 1,510k to 1,378k from 2023 to 2024.
Overall usage of the 10 most popular dating apps in the UK declined by 16%. Tinder has seen a drop in usage. Recent figures available show a decrease from 10.8 million to 9.6 million in the number of paid subscribers over the last two years.
A 2024 survey by Forbes Health on dating found that 78% of Gen Z felt emotionally, mentally, or physically exhausted by dating apps. 80% of millennials and 70% of baby boomers felt burnt out by apps.
Erin, 24, said: “Online dating apps are good for the first week or so and then they become like an admin task.
“It takes quite a lot of commitment messaging people before showing up for a first date. It is annoying to go through weeks of low commitment messaging before actually meeting someone.”
She drew attention to the safety risks to young girls and women: “Safety on online apps is a big concern; you can easily fake a profile, and also when you’re dating online you are typically going to the first date alone, but at least with an in person event there are a lot of people in the room, and you are going with your friends. It’s a more comfortable atmosphere.”
Featured image credit: Art Dating Club
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