Over 60s dating in London

Is London a good place to date over 60?

Yes, with one honest caveat. London has the largest group of Single 60s members of any part of the country, so you will see more profiles here than in most regions. But the capital's membership is younger than the rest of the site: only about one woman in eight on Single 60s in London is over 55, against roughly one in three in the South East. The men are the other way round. Three quarters of our male members in London are 55 or older.

In practice that means a man over 60 in London will find more women in their forties and early fifties than he might expect, and a woman over 60 will find plenty of men her own age. Set your age range with that in mind, and widen it by a few years if your inbox is quiet.

Where London members join from

Most London members simply put "London" as their town. Of those who name a district, the largest groups are in Upper Holloway and Tottenham in the north and Spitalfields in the east. Because the city is so big, distance matters more than the postcode on your profile. Someone in Richmond and someone in Romford are both "in London" but are well over an hour apart by train.

A sensible starting point is a ten-mile radius if you live in zones 1 to 3, and fifteen to twenty miles if you are further out or close to the M25. You can change it at any time, free.

First dates in London that cost very little

Once you reach state pension age and live in a London borough, the Freedom Pass gives you free travel on the Tube, buses and most trains in the capital, which makes meeting halfway easy. A few first-date ideas that are public, daytime and inexpensive:

• A free gallery. The National Gallery, Tate Modern and the British Museum have no charge for their permanent collections, and each has a café where you can sit and talk afterwards.
• A walk along the South Bank. From Westminster Bridge to Tower Bridge is flat, busy and full of benches, with the Southbank Centre and plenty of places for tea along the way.
• A Royal Park. Regent's Park, Greenwich Park and Richmond Park are free and big enough to walk and talk for an hour without running out of path.
• A matinée. West End and fringe theatres often sell cheaper afternoon seats, and a show gives you something to talk about over an early dinner.

Whatever you choose, meet somewhere busy, tell a friend where you are going, and get yourself home. Our safety advice covers the rest, and there are more ideas in first date ideas for over 60s.