Blind date
He told me I was beautiful. Inside I was giggling like a schoolgirl There was a lot of flirting – I could sense chemistry
RECENTLY we featured the story of Ann Westwood, a mum desperate to help her daughter Nicola find Mr Right.
So, this week we sent 32-year-old actress Nicola on a date with Robin Cottle, a personal fitness instructor, who’s also 32, to Butlers Wharf Chop House in London. Could Robin be the man Nicola — and her mum — have been waiting for?
NICOLA, 32, SAYS:
MY MUM is always trying to fix me up, and even wrote to the Daily Mail to apply for a blind date on my behalf.
I know why she’s so eager — I haven’t had a serious relationship since I finished university and moved to London about seven years ago. I’ve had many dates but have yet to find someone remotely normal. I’m quite shy, too, and that can put some men off.
My mum is a wedding planner and spends her life helping people get married, so she’s convinced she should be able to help me, too. She’ll tell me I need to hurry up and give her grandchildren — and I know she’s only partly joking!
I do want to meet someone, and Mum knows that and feels frustrated for me. My friends from home are all married and starting families, although I know lots of single women in London as it’s really hard to find someone here.
I was nervous going into the restaurant, but that’s normal, I suppose, after all the mad dates I’ve had. My last date seemed quite nice — until he showed me he had a knife hidden in his sock!
This time, as I walked in, I spotted a really lovely guy and rather hoped that was my date. It was! Robin is really good looking and charming. I’m quite reserved normally but as soon as we said ‘hello’ I knew we would get on.
He’s just come back from a trip around the world. I’ve never done anything like that, so I found it really interesting. He asked me about my job and we chatted about our lives. We talked about dating too, although he didn’t have as many horror stories as me. Maybe it’s the choices I make! Still, he reassured me he’d come unarmed . . .
It was good to hear that we are in a similar position, with most of our friends getting engaged and married, and I got the impression we have a similar outlook on life.
I’m pretty busy and active, and love theatre and film. I do lots of sport, including scuba diving and fencing, and dancing, too. I’m looking for someone who doesn’t take life too seriously, who can laugh with me and at me! I really need him to be able to hold an intelligent conversation, and would prefer someone family oriented and slightly old fashioned.
I wouldn’t normally go for dinner on a first date — I usually opt for drinks instead — so I think the evening felt more formal because it was a meal.
That said, it was fun and there was definitely some flirting. He was very complimentary, which made me feel great. He asked me how it was that I had been single for seven years and told me I was beautiful. In my head I was giggling like a schoolgirl, but hopefully it wasn’t showing as much on the outside! I’m not normally the coolest cucumber and it was nice to hear.
As the evening drew to a close, I really thought he was going to ask for my number, but you never quite know how the other person feels. You don’t want to misinterpret the signs.
In the end it happened reasonably naturally — we exchanged numbers and parted with a nice kiss on the lips. It was more than a peck, but not a big smooch! I rang my mum afterwards, of course, and she was delighted. I’ll never live it down with her! Robin and I messaged a little afterwards, and I would like to see him again. I’m so glad I have a positive dating story to tell now.
LIKED? He was really lovely and sweet.
REGRETS? None.
CAB/COFFEE? Coffee.
VERDICT: 8/10
ROBIN, 32, SAYS:
I GOT back from a year travelling round the world a few weeks ago, and I’m suffering from posttravel blues. I’ve been single for four years — although that’s partly because I’ve been away for a year and a serious relationship would have been impossible. But now I’d love to find someone to date. I don’t usually get nervous about these sorts of things, so I went to the restaurant with an open mind. I arrived there slightly before Nicola and when she walked in I thought she seemed pretty and warm.
Right from the start there was easy conversation and no awkwardness at all. She’s creative and her work as an actress is really interesting. With my trip too we had plenty to talk about. There was lots of laughter and jokes and it was quite relaxed.
We talked about our lives, families, and dating history. I think she appreciated my normality — some of her past experiences sound absolutely dreadful! I’ve got nothing to compete with the guy who brought a knife on a date.
I’m at the stage of life where my friends are getting married and having kids, although it’s by no means all of them.
Still, it would be nice to keep up with the average! I have tried online dating and apps, with varying results.
I don’t have a type but I’m looking for someone fun, who doesn’t take themselves too seriously. Looks-wise, I probably prefer petite brunettes but an attractive smile is what’s most important.
I thought it was funny that Nicola’s mum had been trying to find her a boyfriend. I’m pretty sure my mum would never do that for me. I think she knows better than to interfere!
The restaurant was really good fun and the food was lovely, although I wouldn’t normally choose a meal for a first meeting as it can be quite pressurised.
But there was lots of smiling, and flirting and I definitely think our body language was indicative of the chemistry between us.
It is always a bit nerve-racking trying to judge if you have read the signs right, but we exchanged phone numbers and walked together towards the Tube station where we said goodbye.
Unfortunately I had to work on Sunday morning so I wasn’t able to stay out too late, but we’ve messaged each other a couple of times since, and I hope we can meet again.
LIKED? She is pretty, talkative, and seemed interested in what I had to say.
REGRETS? None.
CAB/COFFEE? Coffee.
VERDICT: 7/10