Its not a no-strings site. Its for independent-minded singletons looking for mutual attraction and a genuine rapport but who dont have the time or circumstances to do everything together. It promises to match singletons who value their own lives and interests, but still want to spend quality time with someone they care about.
The site is the brainchild of author and journalist Helen Croydon who wanted a solution to her own dating life: In my experiences of dating, I found its all or nothing. Guys either want to see you five-times-a-week, which leaves no time for friends or sport or whatever, or they see it as a detached, soulless physical encounter with no emotional involvement at all. I wanted to provide a site where singles like me can find a loving but non-demanding partner.
After a test launch in January to assess demand, it attracted more than 5,000 members in three months. The site is now publicly launching, with improved matchmaking software, and has opened membership in America and Australia too.
The huge uptake in membership after a test launch shows theres really a demand for this sort of relationship. says Croydon. It fits with modern lives. Some people travel several days a week with their job. Some people are passionate about a new business or a career goal. Maybe they are a single parent, or they work antisocial hours. Not everyone has the capacity for the intricacies of a full-time relationship. But that doesnt necessarily mean they want a meaningless fling.
Jay, 37, who provided feedback on the site, wrote: I was excited to hear about this site! I enjoy the single lifestyle, have a busy job and play Rugby twice a week. Ive worked hard to get my own place and it would take a lot for me to give it up. Girls get offended if I tell them Im not looking to move in, or even if I say I want to spend a weekend without them.
Croydon coined the term part-time relationship for her latest book Screw The Fairytale. In it she argues that the demands of conventional coupledom are not compatible with the drive for independence in other aspects of modern life.
parttimelove.co.uk already has more than five-thousand members, with the most popular overall demographic aged 36-40. For women the most popular age range is 31-35, and for men it is 46-50. It suggests that younger modern women value their independence but seek more commitment once theyre ready for children. It also suggests that men could be more aspirational about full-time coupledom when they are younger, but choose a more independent approach as they age.
Membership is highest in cities as opposed to rural regions, suggesting people with faster-paced lives and a greater choice of activities rely less on a relationship for social fulfillment. The most popular area for memberships is unsurprisingly London, followed by Edinburgh and then Manchester.