FAQ

Secondly, occupation-wise we have members from doctors and scientists through to unemployed people. Naturally, some occupations are more 'eligible' than others.

Thirdly, Grapevine works best for men aged between late twenties and mid sixties, and for ladies between early twenties and and late fifties. People outside these age groups may certainly join, but they will find there are fewer people for them to meet. back to top

Question:

Is it a good idea just to register and wait to see what happens before I upgrade to ACTIVE membership?

Being a free GUEST really means that you are relying upon full MEMBERS being committed enough to pay for the dates! If nobody pays to be a MEMBER, thus contributing to the considerable costs involved in running an ethical and personal service, then nobody gets to meet anybody - a sort of 'stale-mate' pardon the pun!! Some people in very eligible age groups may do reasonably well, but generally you get 'owt for nowt'! If you 'wait to see what happens' it will probably be 'very little' because members who receive lists have so much choice. It's best to be proactive and go for it!

If you wish to find out whether a list would be a good investment for you, please sign up as a free member and then ask the question. From looking at your details we will be able to reply personally and promptly. back to top

Question:

How do I make contact with other members?

Only full MEMBERS can do this. You will find that they have an email address, and a preferred alternative method of contact should the email cease to work for some reasonl. The alternative is either their phone number or having mail forwarded to them free via Grapevine office. back to top

Question:

How do you know what sort of people I like?

Because we don't know this, we send out all the people we have who we feel we can trust to be reliable (GUESTS who don't respond to Grapevine emails are removed). You can choose for yourself from the members' details. The more open you are the more people there will be for you, the more choosy you are the fewer there will be - just as in life itself. back to top

Question:

How many people do I get sent?

You will receive the five nearest and best members, bearing in mind your preferences and depending upon your own eligibility - along with one month's membership. If there are too few to make membership worthwhile for you, then we will give you what we can and make you a full MEMBER free of charge!! back to top

Question:

What are Grapevine's charges? What is the difference between being a GUEST membership and being a MEMBER?

MEMBERS, for Ł17.50, receive details of 5 specially chosen current members of the opposite sex in their area & age range, both MEMBERS & GUESTS. They will remain a full Member for one month. Thereafter they may pay for more contacts or remain for as long as they like as a Guest.

In addition to profiles Members receive help, support and replacements if necessary.

GUESTS, free of charge, can be contacted by MEMBERS. To receive details of other members, join as a full MEMBER. back to top

Question:

Is the selection narrowed down in any way

MEMBERS' dates are selected bearing in mind their preferences and where they live. back to top

Question:

How soon after joining would I receive my contacts?

Dates are sent via email usually within 24 hours of your signing up. back to top

Question:

If I choose to contact someone, how can I know if they are MEMBERS or GUESTS just waiting for MEMBERS to contact them?

If there membership number has the letter 'F; for free in the code, they they will not have paid. Some will be GUESTS who have an extension of their membership who have previously paid. About one half of the members you receive will probably be GUESTS - but they will have been screened to a certain extent and will have responded to Grapevine emails. back to top

Question:

How many people are on the Grapevine?

It is always upwards from 2.000 active members with new members coming in all the time and existing members leaving. We continually take on more people than we lose. We don’t aim to ‘collect’ members which is why we have only three month membership periods. We want to minimise the numbers of people who may have become ‘too busy’, or who may have ‘met someone’ without letting us know.

We personally look through every new sign-up, checking their postal address is valid (kept entirely confidential natually but may be used by the office if necessary). We discard all people who sign up and seem unsuitable (insufficient details or inappropriate content!). back to top

Question:

Why aren't Grapevine profiles free?

One reason is as mentioned previously, that paying a sum of money encourages some sort of commitment. We don’t want our members to be ‘messed about’ more than we can help it.

Grapevine is a modern version of a caring, personal traditional dating agency.

The other reason is the cost of advertising and administration! Grapevine is not a charity. There are free dating sites if that is all someone wants. One of the main ways we recruit new members who are not on the internet, and bring people who are on the 'net to our site, is through comprehensive advertising. We pay thousands of pounds a month on internet promotion alone. The more widely we advertise, the more members we have – which must be good for you! Then there are all the usual business costs, taxes etc. back to top

Question:

Do I get any support from the Singles Grapevine office?

You certainly do!All emails from MEMBERS are answered promptly and matters dealt with immediately and personally, whether it is just a change in your profile or a problem of any sort. We also produce a bi-monthly newsletter.

We do provide a telephone number for use in an emergency.

The well-being and happiness of our members is of paramount importance and we do everything within our power. We can’t, of course, have complete control over the other members and guests and whom they decide to meet or not to meet! back to top

Question:

What about gay people?

At present we have had very little response from gay men or women – probably because our advertising materials imply heterosexual. We would add gays to our books if we found the demand was there, but there are very efficient agencies with sizeable memberships of men wanting to meet men, and women wanting to meet women. back to top

Question:

What is your success rate?

This is impossible to measure with any accuracy.

We are constantly getting members referred to us by friends who have met through the Grapevine, but who had not told us themselves.

NB. We love to hear your success stories! back to top

Question:

How can I check that someone is really a member, and my details have not fallen into the wrong hands?

As no members' details are online, and are just emailed personally to known people, this is very unlikely.

Email Katherine at ‘singlesgrapevine@aol.com’ and she will confirm they are a member back to top

Question:

You hear bad stories about people who meet on blind dates. What does Grapevine do about this?

Time wasters are discouraged in every way we can. All personal addresses are held on record in strictest confidence (we're data protection registered - no. A1658085)

Grapevine members are accountable. We have our 'check member' facility. Just email us with 'check member in the subject line' at singlesgrapevine@aol.com and we will help all we can. However, we always stress that members must take the usual steps to ensure their own safety, and not believe everything they are told until they know somebody, be careful to meet initially in a public place, not to lend money etc. etc. back to top

Question:

Are the people on my list guaranteed to agree to meet me?

Unfortunately the answer is no! To get them to agree to meet you may depend upon how you sound to them, or how your email looks. People do sometimes make excuses like they have recently met someone, rather than to be brave and say they don’t think you are their sort. If you are polite, friendly and realistic y you should have no problem. back to top

Question:

What is the difference between Grapevine and an Internet Dating Site?

Grapevine is a traditional, personal and caring dating agency - and not automated; Grapevine offers reassurance and help.

Grapevine gives you the friendly personal back-up many people find lacking in today's consumer-driven world

Grapevine is not an online 'shopping catalogue' like internet dating sites. Grapevine is personal, more a conventional 'dating agency' using the internet for communication.

Grapevine doesn't pretend nor wish to have the same number of members as an internet dating site. Grapevine has a size of membership where it is possible to give this number a truly personal and caring service.

Grapevine also attracts those people who still are wary of internet dating - as well as many who are also searching for a partner online.

Grapevine members are specially selected people who have met our criteria, who also value the personal approach - who have passed various checks and who are likely to be reliable and genuine.

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Question:

What if I don’t like the look of anyone on my list?

To find not even one person that you feel is worth contacting is very unlikely. If you feel that your requirements in another person are unusually specific (e.g. ladies over 6 foot only or male trapeze artists) then Grapevine wouldn’t be for you! back to top

Question:

How often can I have a new list?

MEMBERS have one month and five selected profiles, If they would like further dates then they can purchase as many months as they like. back to top

Question:

Do you provide photos?

This is up to the individual member, not Grapevine. MEMBERES and GUESTS are always encouraged to include a photo, but photographs will only be circulated if the member so wishes. This is for reasons of confidentiality.

Members do, however, have the option of exchanging photos between themselves – and can use our free forwarding service to do so. back to top

Question:

What’s the difference between Grapevine and a Personal Introduction agency?

An introduction agency charges hundreds of pounds along with additional monthly payments of around Ł25. All members are interviewed and although there are usually few dates (about 2 a month on average depending upon who you are and your age), these are chosen by the agency

Grapevine leaves the selecting largely to the member him/herself and consequently you will get many more people to choose from. Grapevine, being inexpensive, has a much larger membership. Not being controlled by high prices, we are not limited to well-off people and ‘professionals’. Our membership is ‘across the board – with someone for everyone.

Introduction agencies mostly offer a year - or 'lifetime' even whilst they pay an ongoing monthly fee. Grapevine offers monthly membership periods because many members don't need more than that. Why pay for a year or even lifetime when only a couple of months are needed??

To join back to top

Question:

Where is the Grapevine Office?

Our office address has nothing to do with where our members actually live. Where they live is dependent upon where we place our advertisements and where existing members pass us referrals. However, if you wish to write to us the administration is done from Station House, Blunham, Bedfordshire MK44 3PN. This address does not reflect where the membership lives. Grapevine members are throughout the UK. The telephone number is 0870 757 0807. Email address: singlesgrapevine@aol.com back to top

If you have a question which isn't answered here, please contact us - and we'll answer you personally.