Repeats using media identifier BRITAIN-DATING/FRIENDS, not BRITAIN-DATING/DATE MY MATE, to match visuals package, with no change to text

By Natasha Montague

LONDON, March 27 (Reuters) - Fed up of swiping left or right on dating apps, young London singles are returning to a classic British way of meeting people - the pub - with a modern twist: a PowerPoint presentation by a close friend pitching them as dating material.

Putting together a slide deck is second nature for many younger millennials and older Gen Zers. Now, they're using that skill to enhance their mates' love lives, just as dating apps are losing their appeal.

"I hate the swiping," said Annie, 27, adding she was keen to see if her friend's two-minute pitch at a 'Date my Mate' event could land her a boyfriend--or at least a first date.

Organisers said all 150 tickets for the event, held at a north London pub, were sold in less than five minutes. And they're planning to roll out more, aiming for one a week across the country.

DATING APPS LOSE SHINE

Dating apps are fading in popularity in the UK, with usage across the 10 biggest platforms falling 16% between 2023 and 2024, according to Global Dating Insights. Polling shows nearly half of users have had negative experiences on apps like Tinder and Hinge.

At the event, friends crowded around tables with glasses of wine, wearing "Date" or "Mate" stickers, as presenters clicked through slides of flattering holiday snaps and fun facts.

"A bit more about Lauren. She's 30. She's a structural engineer, so even though she will stop walls from falling down, she'll always be there to support you," said one friend.

"Interesting fact, she's just about to submit her sexy fantasy romance book to publishers."

Having seen similar events in Australia and the U.S. on social media, Emily Churchill, head of marketing at wine company Nice who helped arrange the event, said she knew she had to bring the concept to London.

"It's just so much fun," she said, adding it gave coupled-up friends a way to help their single mates find love and escape "horrible dating stories."

'VINTAGE' WAY OF MEETING PEOPLE

Those hunting for a match said it was easier for a friend to sell their best qualities--and poke fun at their flaws--with humour and honesty.

"It's quite retro. It's a vintage way of meeting people," said Jonny, 28, a journalist, joking about how he tried to steer his own presentation.

His friend Patrick said the preparation involved "hundreds of photos over WhatsApp, hundreds, and him being incredibly specific about the ones that make him look good."

Laughing about whether the friendship would survive the pitch, Patrick said he was confident the slides were good enough to lead to a wedding some day.

(Reporting by Natasha Montague and Will Russell, Writing by Sarah Young; Editing by Bernadette Baum)

((sarah.young@thomsonreuters.com; +44 20 7542 1109; Reuters Messaging: sarah.young.thomsonreuters@reuters.net))