Choose places where talking is easy
Pubs, bars and clubs work, but they come with plenty of competition and a lot of noise. A better test for any spot is three quick questions: can we hear each other, do we have something in common just by being here, and can either of us leave easily? A class, a market, a quiet corner of a gig or a long train ride tick most of those boxes. A packed club on a Saturday night struggles on the first two.
The street post points out that live music gives you a head start, because everyone around you likes the same band. Stand near the edge of the crowd, where you can talk between songs. The same post names weddings, which work for the reason it gives: they remind single guests that they're single. Just remember you're someone's guest, and the happy couple's day is no place for a scene. The post is blunt that stopping someone on the pavement takes volume, so a few polite no's come with the territory.
The train post argues that a carriage is a good place to talk because there are no rivals around and little else to do. Add a British footnote: the quiet coach is the wrong place for a chat, and headphones in mean leave it.
Find the spots near you
Where you live changes the answer, so look for the places your own town already uses: its station, its high street, its parks and its pub gardens. Our locations pages cover towns across the UK, and the near me page shows how to check who's close to you before you choose a spot.
Whatever the place, set the scene for a proper chat. A good first line is about the place itself, whether that's the band, the queue or the weather, and ten minutes of easy talk tells you whether to carry on. Choose somewhere with a seat, a bit of light and no deadline, and have a second place in mind if the first doesn't work. Meeting somewhere you know also means you know where the exits are and who to ask for help if you need it.
Heading for the mountains this winter? Hooking up on the slopes has its own tips, from the trip out to the ski lift. For more places away from the bar, see hooking up outside and sexy train girl.
Hook up somewhere new
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