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THE INNER CIRCLE, London’s latest dating website and app, bills itself as a network for “like-minded” individuals; a “high-end”, “exclusive community” with an “impressive following of successful and attractive people.”
“The Inner Circle is the first and only dating website with a strict invite-only policy that includes a thorough screening upon registration to ensure eligible singles with similar lifestyles and mutual friends can meet each other in a friendly and trustworthy community,” the website explains.
What really sets The Inner Circle apart, though, CEO and cofounder David Vermeulen tells us, is its “exclusive parties” — held at some of London’s “most glamorous” venues. Barts in Chelsea, Whisky Mist in Mayfair, and Bodo’s Schloss in Kensington have been on the list. Although the entry rules are strict, Vermeulen has also provided plenty of features to keep users engaged once they are in.
The site just launched in London after setting up in Paris, Milan, Barcelona, Stockholm and Amsterdam, where it was founded. In social dating terms, The Inner Circle is a more complex, European equivalent to US app The League. So far, 50,000 people have been approved; there’s a waiting list of far more.
Here is a breakdown of Inner Circle members by job:
We went along to the most recent Inner Circle party at Notting Hill’s Little Yellow Door, to see what it was all about.
The Little Yellow Door is a bar that operates like a house party — it isn’t open every night and you have to sign up if you want to attend. You can use WhatsApp to talk to the hosts who tell you when to arrive.
The space is decorated like someone’s arty flat. There is even a full set of toiletries in the bathroom, as if someone lives there.
The night we attended, everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.
The website hosts “after-work drinks and dinner parties in new and exciting bars and restaurants, all over the capital.”
To date, The Inner Circle has amassed 4,000 members in London. The network/app works in a similar way to many dating sites: There are “like” functions, photo browsing, profile building, and ways to interact and chat. But the website is also quite Facebook-like. People post plans to go out to bars and clubs, visitors to London can ask for advice and meet-ups.
A “trending hotspots” section notes where the hottest new restaurants and drinking spots are.
More than 250,000 messages were sent between members of The Inner Circle in December 2014. The London community’s active members have grown by 100% over the past 12 weeks.
The party we went to was pretty packed.
Vermeulen came up with the idea for Inner Circle with his friend Michael Krayenhoff, also from Amsterdam. Vermeulen is a passionate polo player, and is also the founder of The London Alumni Club. When asked if he dates his own members, he said, he “doesn’t get high from his own supply”.
He does drink with them, though — the bar was busy.
On The Inner Circle site, users enjoy organised events at nice restaurants such as Yauatcha and Burger & Lobster, visit clubs like Shoreditch House, and dozens post about their latest trips to Barcelona, Paris.
There’s a lot going on — members provide plenty of details and information. It is very different to Tinder and Happn, which rely on speed and engagement. The Inner Circle is going for a slightly older group (average age is 30), but one that wants to go out on the town and sip champagne.
Here’s a selection of recent Inner Circle events:
Inner Circle members are “selected based on profession, age, education, interests, and more” the CEO says. The idea is to have a community of people with similar high-end lifestyles.
Vermeulen also told me at the event that the website is going well and he hopes it continues to grow. “I thought there was a gap in the market for a more inclusive, social network-style dating community,” he told me. “There are loads of websites and lots of apps, but nothing completely modern and fresh for networking — and definitely nothing specifically for high-end users.”
Here are a couple more members of the Little Yellow Door team…
And here’s someone using the app while there…
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And yet they’re all still single.
That’s app needs an update if everyone in those pictures are suppose to be attractive.
that second last photo are of people working behind the bar too.
The site where the nobs knob..
You’re outraged by it and yet apparently demonstrate an even more elitist attitude than the people who set it up!
likemindedarseholes.com
“The London dating app that is restricted to ‘successful, attractive people’ only”
So no doubt the members will consist of ugly, loosers who think they are attractive jet-setters.
I’ve seen more life at a wake than in those pictures.
Some serious howlers in those photographs.
Where I’m from Beauty is in the eye of the Beerholder
Sounds like a great way to get all of London’s self-obsessed douche bags in one place. In my day we had Lillies Bordello for that.
Are people who use dating apps not unsuccessful by definition?
Massive queue for the powder room in those places I imagine.
Maybe the Journal could relaunch itself as a dating app? That way you don’t even need to meet someone for a drink to discover they’re OBSESSED with water charges (or numbers) ;)
That would be interesting all the commenters together in a big room to discuss who is a troll and who isn’t. You could be onto something Caitríona.
I suggested this a while ago too, how romantic would it be? ♥
I reckon if they invited all the regular Journal commenters to a banquet there’d be a lot of empty seats and a lot showing up with multiple invitations.
Says Gabbi the troll!
When asked does he date his own members he replied he “Doesn’t get high on his own supply”. Douche-bag comment of the week.
Yeah I keep getting sent invitations to join.
I’ll stop sending them so
I might be wrong but the only non Wasp in the photos seems to be serving drinks!
Take another look.
Attractive? Hmmm…beauty’s in the eye of the beholder. Obviously.
attracted to moola, see it everywhere. sure its love i’m telling ya.
Having lived in London and gained a glimpse into the “inner world” of London high flier networking….believe me there is a reason these people are single. Most are the type who update their facebook page 5 times a day with the latest minutiae of their lives. They take every opportunity to be all smiles in front of a camera. But there’s an empty void, these are not sensible down to earth people. They combine a large ego with very poor relationship skills and lack the fortitude and determination required to make relationships work. I genuinely feel sorry for them.
Leave them at it
Sign me up!!
I’d say you wouldn’t want to date anyone on that site anyway.
They must be a bit delusional because all the women in the pictures are borderline groths.
I think someone needs to tell them what “attractive” means.
Who’s the maker of this app? I want to have a word! #dipstick
As one of the ‘beautiful people’ and an unmitigated success I am looking forward to signing up. Avert your eyes peasants!
None of those women were very attractive at all,,,load of shite!!
The pretentiousness is too much!
I recall I had friends who worked in the ”city”….i.e soulless concrete jungle…..the females would only date chinless wonders with cash….they all looked like the back of a bus…hilarious
I suspect it would be difficult to corral as high a concentration of people with pathological insecurities as this will manage. In the interests of psychological endeavour I applaud them and wish them the best on ever escaping the tiny minds that encompass them.
Can you just imagine reading through the profiles! Just wanting to puke at each one!
A quote from Groucho Marks comes to mind
Tw@ts!
Where do I sign?
For dating people, I use tinder but the main big proble is that I almost never get matches or girls never answered the the messages so finally it’s a lot of time wasted. Did you test http://london-dating-app.meetlovelypeople.com/ …? Basically you don’t have a wait for getting finally a match and then MAYBE getting a reply from your done match (which is so painful with tinder, bumble and other similar apps).
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/meet-date-lovely-people-in/id1155373742 seems very new (seeing the amount of users) but personally I really like it. Really fun way for dating londoners :)
I don’t appreciate division into class, it can be really offensive. I don’t really understand, why people are so cruel! Because of it, I use only NORMAL dating servises like https://kovla.com/datings/us !
have your say