UK Dating Awards 2014 Winners
On November 13th the winners of this year’s UK Dating Awards were announced in a sparkling gala awards bash in London. Well-known dating sites were praised and duly honoured as well as sprightly newcomers who’ve only just dipped their toes in the waters of online dating. Over 200 applicants in 25 categories were entered and judged – and here are the results.
The best dating site: Lovestruck
Frankly, we’re not surprised. A few years ago we could sense that Lovestruck was on its way to online dating stardom. A site for busy professionals it works just as well for those looking for love as well as those looking for a quick lunch date. It’s all very hip and modern and Lovestruck has put in loads of work making their site work. We love their sleek design and nifty little features that make it a truly unique site indeed.
Runners-up: Guardian Soulmates, Smooch, Toyboy Warehouse
Daters favourite: Guardian Soulmates
The Guardian’s very own dating site has been a long time in the making. It’s been around for 10 years and during that time they’ve managed to turn it into an easy to use and useful (left-leaning) dating site, which obviously reflects in the fact that it has been chosen as the users favourite in the public poll. As an intelligent and trustworthy site it is a true crowdpleaser.
Guardian Soulmates Review
Newcomer of the year: Inner Circle
Well, the trick behind Inner Circle being so popular is that not everyone can join it. You know how people always want to belong somewhere where it’s not easy to get in? Like a private club or an executive lounge or… well, inner circle. That’s also the idea behind Inner Circle. You can only get in by invitation and the invite can be only sent to you by another member. Very clever. Inner Circle also hosts exclusive events for its members and we’ve heard only good stuff about that!
Runner-up: My Mate Your Date
Best specialist dating site: Muddy Matches
We love Muddy Matches. There’s just something so gratifying and comforting about taking dating out of the “busy professionals” scene and returning to grass roots. A great little independent site and thoroughly born and bred in UK it’s truly the best Britain can offer for country dwellers and their fans. Come on, time to be patriotic!
Runners-up: Toyboy Warehouse, Christian Connection
The Founder’s award: Tinder
Well, surprise-surprise, who would have thought that?! Tinder wins in the category of Trailblazer of the year and I don’t think anyone needs an explanation why. Tinder has truly overtaken the world of online dating and changed its face – most likely forever. Remember when online dating was about profiles, winks and ice-breakers? Nah, none of that pre-historic stuff anymore! Now it’s just swipe right, swipe left… that’s it!
Dating app of the year: Lovestruck
Just like their website, Lovestruck’s dating app has earned similar praise. Meant for single busy professionals it works just like any other dating app – with photo albums, geographic positioning, alerts, winks and messages – and all this is free! All apps are essentially the same of course, but what makes Lovestruck special is the amount of hard work and attention to details that they’ve put in over the past few years.
Matchmaker of the year: Caroline Brealey (Mutual Attraction)
OK, we know matchmaking sites aren’t quite the same as online dating sites but at the end of the day they are there for the same purpose, right? So we don’t mind heaping some well-deserved praise on them. Mutual Attraction works with people in London so it’s not everyone’s cup of tea but we reckon the city folk and busy professionals need their help the most as they rarely have enough time to invest in looking for love.
Runner-up: Mary Balfour (Draw Down the Moon)
Blogger of the year/Best dating blog: Katy Horwood/All Sweetness & Life
If you’ve ever read Katy’s blog All Sweetness and Life you know that she really knows how to speak to single people. With hearty humour and precise observation skills she can take pretty much any dating issue to pieces and put it back together. She dishes out a lot of sound advice with such confidence and good nature that we’re starting to think she’d actually make a pretty good matchmaker herself…
Runner-up: We Love Dates
Dating expert of the year: Jo Hemmings
Many of you might have seen or heard Jo Hemmings giving advide on ITV’s Good Morning Britain programme and Big Brother’s Little Brother on Channel 4. She is a well-known behavioural psychologist who belongs among the most recognised psychologists in the world. Yet she still has time to give advice to us, mere mortals, in her very own dating blog.
Runner-up: Andy Jones
Best new dating individual: Saskia Nelson
We don’t know anyone more deserving of this prize than Saskia. Over the last year she has tirelessly worked on her site Saturday Night’s Alright and has supplied thousands of gorgeous dating profile photos in the process. We all know the right photo is at the heart of online dating (ahem, see the trending of Tinder), so with the right pic you can work miracles. Well, Saskia is just the right woman for that. Her work speaks for itself so go and check out her site and prepare to be well and truly amazed.
Runner-up: Eden Blackman
Safer dating award: Scamalytics
It breaks our hearts that as online dating grows and becomes more popular, it also increasingly functions as a greenhouse for new types of scammers and fraudsters who are springing up like mushrooms after the rain. Fortunately there are people like the clever guys at Scamalytics and other sites like them who work tirelessly to put an end to that. Their good work with different dating sites in Britain helps to curb and eliminate all kinds of different scams from fake profiles to chargebacks. Keep up the good work and make dating sites safe environment for all of us!
Runners-up: TacticsOn, Would Like to Meet
More UK Dating Awards 2014 Winners:
Newcomer app of the year: Trueview
Religious dating site of the year: Christian Connection
Dating entrepreneur of the year: Turn Partners
Best newcomer dating blog: Urban Social
Best London dating event: Inner Circle
Most original dating event: Loveflutter
Best singles party: Lovestruck
Best speed dating event: Date in a Dash
Best food or drink dating event: Table8
Dating journalist of the year: Andy Jones
Best dating column: Sex and the Single Guy (Cosmopolitan)
Best dating TV show: First Dates
Best magazine for dating advice: Cosmopolitan
Best dating related advert: Guardian Soulmates
About the Author
Aet Suvari has been reviewing and writing about the world of online dating since 2008 and the launch of Online Dating Help. A stickler for promoting ethical practices within the UK dating industry she champions the sites that get it right while highlighting those holding it back. You can follow her on Google+
