Since we made the announcement of our closure, we have been inundated with lovely, heartwarming messages from our community, with tales of what being part of Guardian Soulmates has meant for them. Here are just a few:  “Thank you for setting up something that I have no doubt has helped a lot of people find love, companionship, friendship and comfort over the years.“ “I am very glad you existed.” “Thank you for helping me find a wonderful man, who lives only 25 minutes away, but who I otherwise feel sure I would not have met.” “I’m just very happy to say I met my match last May, and we h ..read more

The end is finally here – after more than 15 years of online dating Guardian Soulmates will be closing this June. We’ve come a long way and are very proud of all the thousands of people we’ve helped introduce, the good dates people have been on (ok, we know not all were good, but we tried), the weddings that took place and the families that have been created.  To every single person who has used our service, thank you. You have been part of a wonderful community of like-minded people, open to finding love and meeting people. But like all good things, we must now come to an end and we’ll b ..read more

Dating circumstances, along with the rest of the world, have certainly changed over the last few weeks and, as we pointed out last week, it’s a prime opportunity for a little creative virtual dating. We called in our ever-wise flirting expert, social and cultural anthropologist Jean Smith of Flirtology to share some of her tips for a successful video date. Now that the world has gone into lockdown, you might find yourself online more than usual. This is the perfect time for online dating. However, do not waste time and energy messaging people. My advice is to meet for a video date as soon as ..read more

  All the same, and we may be slightly biased, it is an excellent opportunity to date online. Here’s why: everyone is at home, not only eager to connect with people and talk, but with the time to do so properly. While there are some daters that like to cut the small talk online and head straight to a first date, in our experience the majority of our members like to build a strong foundation before meeting someone.  Video calling is the cornerstone of social distancing. Enter the virtual date. Or as we like to think of it, the pre-first date. That step beyond sending endless interview question ..read more

My dating life started with the birth of the internet, and I feel like, for me, this was quite possibly the best possible time for this to happen. Behind a screen you can be… well anyone. You can look like anyone and while I wasn’t a catfish per se, I definitely did NOT disclose my disability on my profiles. This was more down to the way disability was viewed when I was younger, but also the way I viewed my own disability. I didn’t realise for a long time that struggling made me appear more disabled. I think for any disabled person, their own disability is a journey, a journey that can someti ..read more

An exhibition is one of our go-to ideas for a date, and with the new Andy Warhol retrospective opening on 12 March, we are excited, to say the least. The first Warhol exhibition at Tate Modern in almost 20 years, it’s a new look at the extraordinary work of the pop art icon, emphasising recurring themes around desire, identity and belief that emerge from his biography. To celebrate, we’ve teamed up to create the perfect Tate date, giving away a pair of tickets to one lucky winner, as well as dinner for two from the Warhol-inspired @TateEats menu. The creative snacking menu features dishes suc ..read more

So, what is it? Chino Latino is a modern, pan-Asian restaurant situated on the Southbank and a short walk from Vauxhall tube station. What’s the atmosphere like? Entering through the Park Plaza hotel and up an LED screen-illuminated escalator, you’ll likely be struck first by the sleek decor – a millennial take on Goldfinger’s lair – and secondly by a great view of the river. Gentle upbeat music rounds out the ambience and makes you feel like you would want to start your night here, rather than head straight home after dinner. The place really shouts ‘smart’ but not in a formal sense. This ex ..read more

It’s January, and let’s face it – we could do with something to look forward to. Enter Bristol Old Vic with Wise Children’s charming musical, Romantics Anonymous, launching this month.   Based on the beloved French-Belgian romantic comedy film Les Émotifs Anonymes, this unusual and tender love story is a treat for all the senses, filled with all the joy and pain it takes to survive and love in the modern world. Quite simply, it’s a treat for romantics everywhere.  To celebrate its launch and love in general, we’re giving away two tickets to its opening night on 23 January for one lucky winner ..read more

January: a chance to start afresh, try different things and go to new places. Date night is the perfect place to start, which is why we were very excited to hear about Love January at Gordon Ramsay, an excellent opportunity to try some amazing restaurants at an affordable price. A set menu for two people for £30 sounds like a pretty great date to us, but to make it even better, Soulmates members can enjoy a complimentary glass of fizz when ordering from the Love January menu*.  What’s more, we’ve gone ahead and made planning even easier by teaming up some of our favourite parts of London wit ..read more

I’ve got a confession to make: come January, I’m glad the Christmas holidays are over. Don’t get me wrong, I like the festive spirit of Christmas but for me, it’s also a difficult time. Every December, I’m reminded that another year has passed and I’m still bloody single. And then the negative thoughts start: on my upcoming birthday, I will very probably also still be single. The same goes for Valentine’s Day, the summer holidays, and before you know it, another year has come and gone and nothing much has changed. Over the past six years, I’ve built a successful business and brand from scratc ..read more