Teesside Dating Club hoping to help single people find love

There's an event for Valentine's Day tonight

Author: Karen LiuPublished 14th Feb 2026

A Teesside woman is hoping to help single people find love this Valentine's day.

30 year-old Chloe Tempestoso from Acklam set up her The Dating Club Teesside, a speed dating business after becoming frustrated with the use of online apps.

She said: "I just want people who are single not to feel excluded on Valentine's Day because when you walk into a supermarket or you're going into bars and restaurants, all you're seeing is advertising for couples to celebrate and I just wanted to create a space where we can celebrate that it's OK to be single on Valentine's Day, and obviously give them an opportunity to meet somebody.

"People are wanting a space they can come to where they meet face-to-face and there's no swiping involved and they're just having real life chats. It's old-fashioned basically. I think apps are just draining for a lot of people. I think it affects their mental health and I just think there's a demand for face-to-face meetings.

"That's what we hear from so people who attend the Dating Club. They're just sick of dating apps, swiping, basing it all on a photo, and not knowing who they're meeting. I know there's a real demand for poeple to meet face-to-face old-fashioned. I think when you go out now, it's not like years ago where people met on a night out. I think when you go out people don't chat to you like they used to.

"A few weeks ago I was in the cinema and I saw a couple from our first ever event on a date so that was really lovely to see. They would have been dating for around four to five months and that was just so lovely to see. I've had a few messages saying they're currently dating and getting to know each other."

There's a singles night being held in Middlesbrough tonight.

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