As we enter Sober October with many people adopting no or low alcohol lifestyles, new research reveals that this trend extends into our dating lives as a third of Londoners (34%) now prefer sober dates to those which involve drinking alcohol.

The research from local dating app happn shows that despite there being a British stereotype for enjoying alcohol fuelled socialising and dating, nearly two thirds of Londoners (61%) only sometimes drink on dates nowadays, and nearly a quarter (23%) refuse to go on dates that involve any alcohol at all.

Looking after their personal safety was found to be the biggest reason for doing so, with a third (33%) of Londoners agreeing they feel safer on dates when they have not had an alcoholic drink. Furthermore, nearly a quarter (22%) agree that going on sober dates helps to avoid embarrassing encounters, and more than one in 10 (12%) prefer sober dates as it helps them to save money.

The research also found that half of Londoners (52%) prefer dates that include an activity such as going to a park, playing sport or visiting a cultural destination, and over a third (35%) prefer dates in outdoor spaces. In fact, the top ten spots that Londoners list as preferred destinations for dates are parks, museums and galleries rather than clubs or bars, with Greenwich Park topping the list followed by Regents Park and Covent Garden Piazza.

Alcohol has long been considered an ice-breaker, particularly on dates, with the assumption that it makes daters feel more relaxed, or it is easier to find more to talk about. Now, it appears that activities such as playing sport or visiting a gallery together is replacing this reliance on drinking, giving singles an obvious common ground and topics to discuss. These kinds of dates help to form deeper and more authentic connections with potential partners, as a third of Singles in the capital (32%) said that doing so provides a natural ice breaker and 31% said it makes it easier to get to know the person they are on a date with.

To help Londoners connect with people in a more meaningful way, happn has launched its new ‘CrushPoints For All’ feature, which allows happners to discover potential Crushes based on their shared favourite locales – with a multitude of activity-based and alcohol free activities to choose from. Launched in London before a UK-wide rollout, this enhances people’s dating experience by reflecting their lifestyle and the places they frequent most often, providing a personalised foundation for driving stronger bonds by highlighting mutual interests.

Commenting on the research, Claire Rénier, dating expert at happn said, “There is a growing number of people looking to go on sober dates, whether for reasons of personal safety or to support their health and wellness journey. Whatever the reason, we want to help people meet those with a similar mindset. Our new CrushPoints For All aims to help people on this journey, by allowing Singles to connect over a shared love of the outdoors, or sober venues like museums, galleries or coffee shops, which we hope will help Londoners on their search for love.”