Speed dating in Liverpool Street: Speed Dating with a Twist, Thursday 23 July 2026
One stylish evening in the City, up to 15 five-minute dates, and conversation cards that kill the small talk before it starts. Ages 25–35, smart casual, drinks after — here's everything you need to book it and walk in confident.
Speed Dating with a Twist runs at The Otherist, 111 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AP — three minutes from Liverpool Street — on Thursday 23 July 2026, 7:30–9:30pm (doors 7:15pm). Ages 25–35, smart casual, up to 15 five-minute dates. Tickets £11.55–£16.96 on Eventbrite.
Details verified 26 June 2026against the organiser’s official Eventbrite listing
The key details
- Date
- Thursday 23 July 2026
- Time
- 7:30pm–9:30pm (doors 7:15pm)
- Venue
- The Otherist, 111 Old Broad Street, London EC2N 1AP
- Nearest station
- Liverpool Street (~3-min walk); also Bank, Moorgate & Bishopsgate
- Ages
- 25–35
- Price
- £11.55–£16.96 — via Eventbrite, booking fee included
- Dress code
- Smart casual
- Format
- Up to 15 dates of ~5 minutes each · ladies seated, gentlemen rotate · conversation cards on every table · match card at the end · results emailed next day
- Refunds
- Refunds available up to 7 days before the event
How the night works
The whole point of Speed Dating with a Twist is that you never have to face an awkward silence alone. You arrive at a reserved area in a smart City bar, you're given a relaxed welcome, and from there the format does the heavy lifting: balanced numbers, short dates, and a conversation card on every table so the chat starts the moment you sit down. It's a genuine night out first and a dating event second — which is exactly why it works.
- 1
Arrive and check in
Get there by 7:15pm, grab a drink, and settle into the reserved area before the dates begin at 7:30pm.
- 2
Take your seat
Ladies stay seated at their tables; gentlemen rotate, so you meet a fresh face every few minutes without ever losing your spot.
- 3
Five minutes, one card
Each date lasts around five minutes, with playful conversation-starter cards on the table to skip the small talk and get to the good bit.
- 4
Jot down who clicked
Between dates, quietly note the people you'd like to see again on your match card — you'll meet up to 15, so a few words now saves a blank mind later.
- 5
Submit your match card
At the end of the night you hand in your card with your picks. No awkward public reveals, no pressure at the table.
- 6
Matches emailed the next day
Where two people pick each other, you each get their details by email the following day — and the venue stays open after, so the night doesn't have to end at 9:30.
The Otherist, Liverpool Street
The venue
The Otherist sits at 111 Old Broad Street in the heart of the City of London — a smart, characterful spot that makes a far better backdrop for a first impression than a noisy chain bar. The Matchup reserves an area for the night, so you're not shouting over a packed room or hunting for your group; you arrive, you're expected, and the evening is set up to flow.
Getting there
Old Broad Street runs through the EC2 financial district, moments from Liverpool Street and a short stroll from Bank, Moorgate and Bishopsgate. It's about a three-minute walk from Liverpool Street station, which makes this one of the easiest singles nights in London to reach straight from the office or the train — no cross-town trek, no excuse to talk yourself out of it.
Why the City works for an after-work singles night
Liverpool Street is a transport hub: the Elizabeth line, the Central, Circle, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines, plus National Rail and the Overground all converge within a few minutes' walk, so getting home afterwards is genuinely easy whether you're heading east, west or out of town.
You finish work, you walk three minutes, and you spend the evening meeting up to 15 people instead of swiping on the sofa. The room is full of 25-to-35s who've made the same smart decision — to meet in real life — and when the dating part wraps, the bar stays open for drinks. It's a proper night out that happens to be the most efficient way to meet single Londoners after work.
How to win at speed dating
Five minutes is short — but it's plenty if you walk in prepared. Simple moves that work.
- Nail “smart casual.” Aim for put-together, not formal. A clean shirt or a nice top, well-fitting trousers or a dress you feel good in, decent shoes. The trick isn't looking expensive — it's looking like you made an effort, because everyone notices when you did.
- Have three good openers ready. You'll repeat them up to 15 times, so make them count. “What's been the best part of your week?”, “Are you a City local or just here for tonight?”, and “What would you be doing if you weren't here?” all beat “So… what do you do?”
- Actually use the conversation cards. They're on the table for a reason — they're the easiest way to skip the dull CV exchange and get to something real. Lead with the card, then follow the tangent it opens up. That tangent is usually where the spark lives.
- Ask, then listen. The most memorable dater in the room is rarely the one who talks most — it's the one who's genuinely curious. Ask a real question, react to the answer, and let them feel heard in five minutes flat.
- Take quick notes between dates. One or two words per person — “green coat, loves Italy”, “funny, also hates running” — is the difference between a confident match card and a panicked blank at the end of the night.
- Watch the clock without watching the clock. Five minutes goes fast. Don't spend three of them on logistics; get to what you both enjoy, and leave them wanting the next conversation.
- Bring your best mood, not your CV. People remember how you made them feel, not your job title. Smile, stay warm, and treat it as a fun evening out — relaxed is magnetic.
- Match generously, decide later. A tick on your card isn't a proposal — it's permission to find out more. If someone was easy to talk to, mark them. You can always say no to a coffee; you can't un-miss a connection you were too cautious to flag.
Keep meeting people who actually fit
A speed-dating night is brilliant at one thing — putting you face to face with real people, fast. But it's one room, one evening, and up to 15 five-minute chats. When the bar closes, the introductions stop. That's where most singles hit the wall: a great night, a couple of maybes, and then back to square one.
Lamp picks up exactly where the night ends. It's the AI dating app built for people who want a real relationship — not a swipe catalogue built to keep you scrolling. Lamp matches you on personality and values instead of photos, so the introductions keep coming all year round: curated, genuinely compatible people, not an endless grid you have to grind through. Tell Lamp who you're looking for in plain English with Wishes, let Genie suggest your bio, your opening line and even the date idea, and stop leaving your love life to one Thursday in July.
Real-life energy, every week — not once a quarter
A live event is one night; Lamp keeps introducing compatible people year-round, so momentum never depends on the next ticket.
Matched on who you are, not how you photograph
Personality and values come first — the swipe apps optimise for time-on-app; Lamp optimises for the relationship.
Genie does the hard part
Bios, openers and date ideas, drafted for you — so the only thing you have to bring is yourself.
Download Lamp free on the App Store and keep the introductions coming long after the lights go up.
The Matchup
This event is run by The Matchup (The Matchup Club), a London singles-events company whose whole philosophy is right there in their tagline: “Real matches start in real life.” Alongside Speed Dating with a Twist, they host activity dating nights — pottery, painting, cocktail mixology and pub quizzes — all built around playful conversation prompts, stylish venues and a low-pressure, great-night-out feel that takes the edge off meeting someone new.
Visit The MatchupSpeed dating FAQ
How does Speed Dating with a Twist work?
How much are tickets and where do I book?
What does “with a Twist” actually mean?
Do the numbers balance between men and women?
What if I don't match with anyone?
What should I wear?
I'm not exactly 25 or 35 — how strict are the ages?
How are the matches revealed?
Is it beginner-friendly? Can I come on my own?
What if I want to keep meeting people after the night?
Ready to go?
£11.55–£16.96 · Thursday 23 July 2026 · ages 25–35
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