I read this in the London paper the other day and it made me laugh. I agree with it!

Date guide for men who get it wrong

British dating is like British social kissing – there seems to be some confusion on the protocol. Too bad, because when the basics run smoothly (venue, bill-paying etc) the rest is more likely to follow.

Typically, all the dating responsibility falls to the man. You asked her out, it's up to you to run the show.

As so many men make a hash of organising an evening, any fool who can book a table for two has a head-start. Equally, the dude who charmed on a first meeting can plummet in a girl's eyes if his on-date manner is awkward or indecisive.

Most dating advice addresses the stuff you can't and shouldn't try to engineer – chemistry, conversation, connection. No man ever seduced a woman by deliberately ‘mirroring' her body language (camp at best, creepy at worst). What you need to sort is the administrative side of the date.

Here's The Londonpaper's foolproof guide:

Venue
This is your decision, not a joint effort. Many men assume it's gentlemanly to ask a lady where she'd like to go. Wrong. a) Lady already has a hundred pre-date decisions to make and won't welcome another. b) She doesn't want to be responsible for the evening. Instead, suggest an area of London convenient to you both and if she approves, go ahead and book a table.

Confirmation
Women respond extremely well to an ETA. Telephoning with your proposed time and place is generally preferred to a text, but keep the chat short. Ideally, she'd like to receive this call the night before, or the morning of the date at the latest. You may think 5pm is a reasonable time to arrange the evening ahead. It ‘s not.

The first drink
It goes without saying that you must arrive before her. But don't just sit there, send her a text enquiring what she'd like to drink. This move is clever. First, it sets you up as Mr Suave-Yet-Caring. Second, it allows you to give her your full attention when she arrives, rather than trying to get the barman to notice you.

Flattery will get you anywhere
Remember: your date has spent the past three hours staining her shins orange and wrestling with a hairdryer, for your viewing pleasure. So it's only polite to comment. Focus on details, and avoid sleaziness by keeping compliments above the neck or below the knee – shoes and eyelashes are both safe bets.

The bill
Frequently the most toe-curling moment of a date. If possible, deal with the bill while she is in the loo – sparing you both her token wallet reach. If not, pay swiftly and discreetly without studying the total. Nothing kills the mood like a man grumbling about service charge.