Cronulla RSL is helping Sutherland Shire singles expand their meet market - and there isn't a dating app in sight.
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The venue has been hosting singles events for people who want to meet their special someone. Driving the trend back to traditional face-to-face meet-ups, the idea is to encourage unattached people to date - in real life and not behind a hand-held screen.
On July 25 at 7pm, it is hosting a Christmas in July Singles Mingles event. Singles are encouraged to wear their ugliest Christmas jumper - a bit of an ice-breaker to kick off conversation, and potentially meet their future partner.
Sutherland Shire event organiser Bianca Jade started Singles Mingles Australia almost two years ago. She said there was a resurgence back to 'old school' singles events. After hearing her friends' disappointing dating stories, she launched into the idea.
"I had quite a few female friends who had been doing online dating, and every couple of days I was hearing a story that after they had met a guy, there wasn't a spark after two weeks and they felt they were wasting their time," she said. "Another male friend said he had met a girl online and she looked nothing like her photos. Either there was no chemistry, or people weren't who they said they were. People don't know who they are meeting on an app. The chemistry you find when you chat to someone in real life, you can decipher pretty quickly if you're interested or not."
"I thought 'gosh why don't people meet in real life anymore?' After COVID-19, people got scared. No one likes to approach anyone these days, after being in our houses for so long. I thought that's ridiculous. It started being a side hustle but there is a movement towards people getting sick of apps, it's growing and the database if growing."
Ms Jade has also organised successful singles events across other parts of Sydney, in Bondi, Manly and Camden, to name a few. This will be Cronulla RSL' third singles event under her guidance.
"At the last one we had about 150 people," she said. "There's live music, it's fun, no one wears name tags because that's too corporate, and it's not daggy or cringey. It's a party in a normal place where everyone is single. It's the most natural environment you can possibly get. There is no guessing."
This time there will be designated age group area. "But it's just a guide," Ms Jade said. "People are free to mingle and speak to whoever they want throughout the night."
There are success stories she says, with people either returning for another go, or singles meeting a prospective partner. "I've heard of people dating for a while after the event, and some people have sent me photos saying it was lots of fun and they would come back," Ms Jade said. "We get a few repeat customers. What's also great is people meet new friends. They might not meet someone they are interested in but they meet other females or males who are the same age.
"I try to cater for all age groups. Someone's friends might be engaged, married or having kids, but they're still single, or divorced, and have no one else to go out with. They form friendships at these nights."
Wearing an ugly Christmas jumper isn't a must, but there is a prize for the best one. There will also be Christmas props, heart-shaped sunglasses, question cards and a 'lock and key' game. "People get out of their comfort zone, and it takes the edge off from feeling awkward," Ms Jade said. "By the end it's like everyone has known each other for 10 years."
