SpeedDater.co.uk reviews | SpeedDater reviewed
SpeedDater.co.uk Statistics
Site URL: http://www.speeddater.com
Website located: UK
Alexa Rank: 309,732
Market: Traditional Dating / Speed Dating / Dating Events
Countries Served: UK
Price: Basic membership: free on their dating site, costs vary by event and location
Facebook App: No
Android App: No
Mobile Version: no
SpeedDater.co.uk Overview
SpeedDater.co.uk is a UK based speed dating company, running events in over 40 cities across the UK. Fun speed dating events and singles nights are run weekly including parties, bowling nights and wine tasting.
All SpeedDater.co.uk speed dating events are guaranteed. Meet someone you want to see again or your next event is free.
SpeedDater was originally founded by Simon Prockter and Ben Tisdall in September 2002 and quickly established itself as the market leader in the sector. In Feb 2004 SpeedDater launched its successful online dating site – www.SpeedDateronline.co.uk. And in Feb 2005, after successfully running a number of holidays under the SpeedDater brand, launched SpeedBreaks, www.SpeedBreaks.co.uk as a separate site. SpeedDater Events and SpeedDater Online were acquired by Cupid plc. in March 2008, with Speedbreaks now operating as a separate business.
Like its sister company Cupid.com, speeddater.co.uk also offers on on-line dating service tapping into the same members database as cupid.com
See below to read Consumer reviews of SpeedDater.co.uk
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Absolutely awful! The people were boring and so was the event. Went to one of their “sosial parties”. Speed dating was at 8pm, the only reason I went to the party. I came to the speed dating area at 7.59pm and was told it was full and it had started. How ridiculous. Was told to book a later speed dating session. No way I was gonna sit alone in a corner for 2 hours waiting for the next speed dating session, so I left. I contacted customer service and they were rude and just had ridiculous excuses not to refund me. I was there 1 hour and was bored as hell! Waste of time and money! Very poor organisation. And rude staff. And boring people. No point going.
I visited a few events organised by Speeddater,but the results are poor due to badly organised system,:
First Complaint:You have only 3 minutes,this time is not enough for normal chat:
Second Complaint:Some events a too noisy and overcrouded
Third Complaint:After the event you have to go back online to tick the girl you like,and many girls dont even go online and do not tick anyone,as they forget or change mind next day.
Forth complaint:Events organised as friendly chat ,there is nothing romantic in there,so the events are not fit for purpose
Fifth complaint:Useless friend match column ,as much better if just “yes” or “no” field
PS.I think this event would be much better if the manager collected the sympathy cards after the event,and if the “yes” ticks coincide ,just sent phone number to the persons with mutual sympathy,so they could directly contact each other without middleman websites and memberships.Thanks
It all started in June 2010. I was introduced by a friend to single parties organized by Speed Dater , an online meeting website (owned by Cupid plc) that is also organizing single events in London venues.
One day I realised looking at my bank account statement that the website was charging me even though I have never been interested in online dating. It appeared that I had forgotten to uncheck a box that was giving me a free access to the web services for a month while booking for a single party event.
I called the company which initially refused to give any refund. I reiterated that I never intended to register as a paying online member. I had to exchange many emails to be granted a refund and I found the argument unpleasant. This is when speed dater’s staff really started to wind me up as I really dislike this kind of commercial attitude on the internet (you suddenly get charged for services you never willingly agreed to subscribe to because you missed a small asterisk somewhere).
Subsequently I registered for speed dating events and decided to use the guarantee given to clients to claim a free event if they chose not to tick anyone during the speed dating. I didn’t tick anyone and asked for a free entry to another speed dating event. Still I have decided to stay in touch with some of the ladies I was not interested to meet as dates but simply as friends
Speed dater company is so greedy that they decided not to give me a free access to another event on the basis that I had contacted some attendees which suggested that I wanted to date them. In fact it is indeed written in their general conditions about activating the guarantee that “If you are seen to be handing out business cards, exchanging contact details or sending site messages to event members, this suggests you do wish to see members again. Such acts will forfeit an activated guarantee.” Who reads such TCs?
http://www.speeddater.co.uk/static.php?html=guarantee&s=s
They spy over your shoulder and read the messages you may exchange with some attendees to withdraw their guarantee. You have been warned! I haven’t heard of any other speed dating company having this attitude.
This is where Denise comes into the picture. I will be charitable and call her Denise even though this is not her real name. Denise organizes events. Denise is tight. Denise became very very very upset because I had tried to use the guarantee to book a free event (for which I initially paid no less than 20 quids!). Denise said that she would not allow me to attend any other event! Denise is strict. I like Denise.
Very recently I decided to join a friend into one of those single party events and then guess what dear reader! Denise was here, at the entrance! I swear, dear reader, that I would have never recognized her. In fact I was not even expected her to be there. How would I? It had been nearly two years since we had exchanged (exclusively through emails). One would have though that Denise would have moved to new professional challenges, in a more rewarding environment. But she was there!
Denise denied me access, it appeared that she thought she was remembering me pretty well. She has also refused to give me any refund.
Frustrated Denise? Frustrated of handing over locks and keys during those events after so many years with the company? Who knows! Anyway she thought she had to tell me proudly that she “had shares in the company” before adding that she was not a director though! Needless to say a director would not spend his Saturday night welcoming guests at a dating event! Denise must have handed over locks and keys for too many years. She is upset. I cannot blame her. Who wouldn’t?
More seriously I think this company is has-been. They didn’t manage to reinvent themselves. They treat clients like money bags, enrol then through dodgy commercial practices into paying sections of their website, claim they offer a guarantee but are keen to withdraw it at their discretion to cash in as much as they can.
Times have changed, new business models appeared. Many new comers on the lucrative single market industry offer FREE single parties: Love struck is one of them. They organize nice events on Thursdays and Saturdays called laissez-faire. Their motto is exactly the opposite: they don’t ask for money or for you to be even registered (so no need for you to check that you credit card is charged after a while for unwanted subscriptions!). Moreover they don’t spy on you. Their motto is The Lovestruck Laissez-Faires and quite frankly Denise, as Love Struck says “we are sick of being told what to do.” and we want to give our phone number to whoever wants it, guarantee or not.
Other companies I have heard, such as match.com also organize free single events.
And yes Denise, move on, there are other jobs on the market!
However if you fancy a date with me, please let me know. I would love to have a drink with you and see if there is any chemistry.
Friend suggested I went along with them to event at Cargo in Edinburgh. Twenty quid musn’t grumble. She did amazingly I’m maybe not as charming as I thought…
Had no idea it was part of Cupid.com but makes sense them being based here in Edinburgh. Sister went for an SEO job with them but didn’t get it.
I had a real blast at the Cape Bar Nottingham. Shout out to the bloke and his team put on a real show would definetely consider going again
went to one of their speed dating events at The Punch Tavern in London. Bloomin brilliant time had – ok I was a bit nervous at the start but the mix of folks was bang on and all the age group I was hoping for which was what was advertised. I loved it because it was the best bits of online dating combined with the best of off-line real world dating.
All in all got 4 good contacts one guy really quite keen on and he actually works round the corner from me so either good or really bad thing!!