Winter often sees the dating scene explode, with singles coupling up to avoid loneliness over the colder months.
But even if you plan a date, there’s no guarantee it will go well, with nearly a third of men and over a fifth of women having been stood up, according to new research by watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches.
And anyone who has experienced the world of dating will likely have encountered some awkward and bizarre situations, too.
With 2020 nearly upon us and the nation looking forward to a fresh start, here are some of the very worst UK-based dating stories from 2019 – including a near toilet disaster and being left for someone else…mid date.
Watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches, have collated some of the worst 2019 dating stories from across the UK. Pictured, stock image
Amongst the stories include one singleton who told how she almost bailed on a date because she wasn’t feeling well, but decided to go through with it.
‘While walking to the next bar we decided to pop into Hamleys Toy Store to see the Christmas decorations,’ continued Laura, 27.
‘As we were looking around I had the sudden, horrifying need to get to a toilet immediately, and had to sprint to the nearest bar to avoid a disaster. I was so embarrassed that I didn’t call him again!’
Another explained how she was on a first date with a guy when they both got so drunk they lost each other in a bar.
‘I got really upset because I thought he’d ditched me, so I ended up on a night out with this random girl I met while I was looking for him,’ said 26-year-old Jess.
‘To cap it off, after picking up a post night out pizza, I lost my phone in the taxi home.’
‘I spoke to him the next day and it turned out he’d also got lost, given his coat to a homeless man and got robbed for £200, so not a good night for either of us!’
Meanwhile, Claire, 30, woke up hungover on the day she had planned to go on a date.
‘We went for a pub lunch and as I wasn’t feeling great,’ she said. ‘I just ordered chips, whilst he ordered the most expensive thing on the menu.’
‘When it came to the end of the date, which wasn’t great – there was not much in the way of banter – he said he had lost his bank card, meaning I had to pay.’
‘When I got home I texted to say that there wasn’t a spark to which he replied the next day saying: “How you doing, bro?”‘.
Speaking of his dating disaster, 24-year-old Chris explained: ‘Throughout the meal my date kept looking over my shoulder.’
‘After telling me it wasn’t going to work out between us, she promptly got up and went to chat up another lad at the bar. They soon left together.’
Another man told how his worst experience was the time his date decided to hit on a lad at the bar. Pictured, stock image
Meanwhile, Karolina, 26, was disappointed her date turned up at their picnic meeting wearing gym clothes – but it got worse.
‘He kept staring at the surrounding pigeons,’ she continued. He explained: ” I’d just really love to catch and eat one – city pigeons are actually completely safe to eat.”‘
Another unlucky in love singleton told how she experienced a bad date with a guy while she was at university.
‘When we were walking back after the date, he told me he’d missed his last bus home and couldn’t afford a taxi so asked to stay at mine, clearly trying his luck,’ said Rich, 31.
‘I had to pretend that I started a night shift at 2am to get rid of him, but he offered to walk me to work, so I had to get dressed in my work uniform and pretend to walk to work with him, just to make him go away.’
‘He still insisted he’d take my key and wait in the flat for me, so eventually I just gave him taxi money and politely told him it wasn’t going anywhere.’