MEET THOMAS, 32

An incredibly hard-working entrepreneur, Thomas, like a lot of Londoners, tends to date in ebbs and flows. His forays back into dating come just at the point of launching his digital health tech start-up, Bodyfanatix. So one of the biggest challenges here is finding a match who will maintain his enthusiasm while he juggles the demands of an early stage business.

THE CONSULTATION

Wednesday, 9pm, West London

What Thomas wants isn’t purely to settle down but, as he puts it, find his ‘long-term Mrs’. There is a lack of stability with how his life is structured, which means six months can go by without even thinking about romance.

As a man of incredible drive and passion – he also ran a start-up TV channel – when Thomas does date, he does it with gusto. He isn’t a commitment phobe per se – his previous relationships lasted 2.5 years and a year – but my impression is that it takes a lot to sustain his interest, especially when grappling with his other love, business.

An ideal partner will need reserves of strength to cope with the ups and downs of this entrepreneur and, in turn, keep him on his toes with their own pursuits. Matching him with someone with a slightly atypical career would work well. A woman willing to be non-prescriptive about where they live, love and take their work over the years would be a start.

THE MATCH

Davina, 30, is a classical violinist from London. After a long-term relationship of seven years, she saw someone for two years but has since been dating, like Thomas, in bursts. She’s partly cautious and partly preoccupied by a job that takes her all around the world. Whether performing in the Palace of Versailles or at the Royal Albert Hall, her schedule means dates are hard to fit in. She is pragmatic but gives a devil-may-care vibe to men. Ultimately, she is looking for a guy who is as passionate about life as she is.

THE DATE

7pm-late, No.11 Pimlico Road
My first impressions of Davina were great – she looked stunning. It made me think that my casual shirt choice was a poor one!

The conversation flowed immediately and we soon realised that both of us shared a somewhat unnerving love of Martinis. Another commonality was of our upbringings in medical households. Neither of us followed in the family footsteps to become medics, breaking convention to do our own things. This is when I became fascinated by her career as a world-leading classical Baroque violinist.

I could have listened to her regale stories of her travels and expertise for hours. Which, in fact, we did without realising it… We laughed a lot, too.

THE VERDICT

Davina says:
My first impression of Tom was that he was charming, interesting and handsome. Blind dates aren’t usually my style but Tom immediately made me feel at ease. I would say ‘yes’ to another date if he asked. 9.5/10

Thomas says:
I normally go for brunette, olive skinned, work hard/play hard party girls, so Davina was not my stereotypical type. However, she was super fun, easy going, interesting and excellent company. I will absolutely ask her out again. 8/10

THE DATING EXPERT

Nana Wereko-Brobby runs dating events club Social Concierge, for people who prefer to date offline…

Nana says… What’s tricky with two people who do interesting things is establishing whether it means just one date of great conversation, or if something deeper is established. I’d love to get them on at least two more Martini tours of London and see if there’s another aspect they spark on.

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