Bit of a dress code dilemma – no jeans allowed – according to the online dating tips I am meant to wear peach to compliment my skin tones (isn’t that a bit 80’s bridesmaid?). Here I am standing alone in the middle of the room, as advised by dating tip number two, nervously downing a gin and tonic, head to toe in black, more the widow at a funeral than a divorcee on the pull.

I am woman number 4 at a speed dating event in a Mayfair wine bar. Man number 4 comes to sit opposite me –and we’re off …’What do you do? Where do you live? Is this is your first time’. The conversation gets a bit more exciting just in time for the three minute bell to ring signaling the men to shift to the next number up the line.

I have been speed dating once before – moving up an age bracket (into 43 -55) since I last came. It’s always a shock to see a bunch of people who you might have been at school with – do I really look this old?!

Just time to mark my score card before man 2 arrives– Ithe choice of 3 boxes to tick ‘yes’, ‘no’ or ‘just friend’ and then a brief description. Man 2 arrives and the smell of aftershave’s a little overwhelming on this one, that’s an instant tick in the ‘no’ box.

‘I think I am destined to be on my own’ man 6 says apologetically. I find myself saying ‘aahhh there’s someone for everyone’ - even I don’t believe that! I find out that he lives with his Mum and spends his spare time plane spotting. I wish he had a sense of humour so that we could share the cliché.

We have a short break after the 8th man – I grab another gin and exchange notes with women 3,2 and 1- I am the only one without any ‘yes’ ticks….I have ticked one ‘just friend’ (a criminal lawyer). By the time man 9 arrives conversation is free flowing –must be the gin - I forgot to ask anything of any consequence about him but we had an amusing conversation – I tick the ‘yes’ box.

At the next gin break woman 3 seems genuinely pleased for me that I have a ‘yes’ at last. Pointing to one of the men crossing the room she asks ‘I really like him – which one is he?’ ‘The waiter’ I say ‘Why don’t you ask for his number?’ She does and he obliges and we fall about laughing!

At the end of the evening we are told to look out for an email the next day. If you have a ‘yes’ match you get to email each other. I head off to report back to the ‘girls night’ I was missing (all married ‘girls’). I met some interesting people and felt very proud that I had managed to discover during a three minute conversation that coincidentally I was seeing man number 11’s boss at 8.30 am the following day – for a business meeting you understand….

Do I recommend it? Have a go – you probably won’t meet the love of your life but you will have an entertaining evening. You can definitely get laid if that’s what you need, just watch out for the married ones. You can choose from lots of different themes: toy boys, sugar daddies, professionals, non smoking and gay if that’s where you’re heading.

Would any HR workshop have delivered such a confidence boost, or ‘Back to Work’ seminar honed up networking skills so enjoyably for just £21.50? And just why were all those married women back home quite so interested and eager to know every detail – for once it’s something I can do that they can’t!

Oh, in case you were wondering – I got 10 ticks and, more importantly, my one ‘yes’ tick, ticked me …………….. There are lots, but the one I tried was www.speeddateronline.co.uk.