Susanne* and I were in the same literature seminar in my third year at university. We immediately bonded because we were both always bursting into class late, flustered and overdressed. We then discovered our shared passion for outspoken female characters who are often demonised in literary criticism. And our love story began.
Susanne casually sugared throughout her university years to cover her living costs. She would often share the most hilarious stories with me about the randos she met. When we graduated, like me, she moved down to London and carried on sugar baby. We’ve lost touch recently due to me being all the way in North East and her all the way in South West.
Now, we meet in the middle at Soho’s famous Bar Italia. It’s 11pm, we sit sipping on our Espressos (pinky raised!) and catching up. She gives me a detailed and honest account of the main differences between sugaring up North and sugaring down South.
The Men
“The most obvious difference is that in London it’s a lot more international. In Newcastle it was a lot of lonely Geordie men in their late 40s/50s, who didn’t have much money but were on the site anyway seeing what they could get. In London it’s more diverse in age, wealth and ethnicity. You have old guys, but you also have quite a lot of guys in their 20s and 30s who are doing really well financially but maybe not so successful on the dating side of stuff.”
“In some ways the guys up North were good because they were a lot less intimidating, I felt like they were a bit closer to my own background so it was easy to get along with them. In London, each person I met was very different so I never knew what I was going to get, which made it a bit more scary but also very interesting, and overall I connected a lot better with some of the guys I met in London- some of them were very worldly and intelligent and I truly learnt a lot from them because they were so different to myself. The guys in Newcastle felt a bit more ‘has-been’-esque or just your average Joe.”
“Some of the men in London actually fit the stereotypical image of sugar daddy- you know, suited and booted, silver fox, confident, rich and sexy. So that’s pretty hot! I didn’t meet anyone like that in Newcastle. However, overall, I felt more trusting of the men in Newcastle. London’s a big scary city, and it was in London that I got scammed by a daddy, it was in London that a guy took off his condom with no warning during sex. So my advice would be that you need to be extra extra cautious when sugaring in London.”
The Dates
“In Newcastle, you’re more likely to meet first to see if you click and not rush into things until the second date. London’s a lot more fast paced and people don’t have as much time and so we would often be intimate on the first date- especially with the guys who were only in London on business and were leaving after a few days.”
“Most of my Newcastle dates were not very impressive. We would go to a pretty average cafe or restaurant, have pretty average conversation and then go to a Travelodge and hook up…not very chic! Once I went on the metro to a guys flat and it was very depressing inside; he offered me some orange squash as he sat watching the football and barely paying attention to me…I just thought…what the f*** am I actually doing here? It’s not quite what you imagine sugar dating to be like.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had some depressing dates in London too at shitty hotels, it’s not all glam. But I’ve also been to some really cool and fun restaurants in London with artsy daddies plus some of the most beautiful hotels, restaurants and events.”
“To sum it up, there’s more opportunity in London for amazing dates. The downside is that because there’s a lot more choice in London, and a lot more going on in general, people are less reliable. The guys will message a bunch of girls for one date and then decide which one they want, and let the others down. And it can be the same vice versa.”
Travel
“No one in Newcastle ever offered to take me away somewhere, the daddies I met weren’t travelling much. If they are travelling, it’s normally for pleasure, and more of a big deal. They’ll only want to take you on trips once you know each other super well. In London, travel is more casual, and guys are often going on business trips, so taking you with them is no biggie.
“I’ve been away on plenty of trips abroad since I started sugaring in London. However, the fact that it is ‘no biggie’ makes it less personal, you feel like just another sugar babe, whereas in Newcastle you feel your interaction means more to the men you meet.”
The Arrangement
“Okay, so as you would imagine, here is the most important difference. The lowest amount of money I ever got in Newcastle was £150 as a ppm and the highest was £300. It was a whole new world in London. The lowest I received was £200 but that was for platonic dates with zero intimacy. The highest ppm I received was £1000.”
“There are still guys in London who will try and pay you £250 for intimacy, but if you’re in a position to do so, don’t accept that. The average ppm I get in London is £500. I still have never had a proper monthly arrangement in either cities, but I’ve definitely forged more long-term relationships in London through sugar. I have guys where we’re still friends and I know they would help me out if I was ever in a crisis situation, which is super nice and makes sugaring feel like more of a meaningful and wholesome thing to do.”
The Final Verdict
“My sugaring experience in Newcastle felt a little bit more depressing; I felt many of the guys were lonely, but it seemed that consequently, maybe our interaction meant something to them, which is kind of sweet. However it wasn’t the typical experience you would imagine when you think of a sugar baby and sugar daddy, it wasn’t so glamorous or sexy. In London, sugaring is a lot more varied- it’s where I’ve had my best and worst experiences. It can be dangerous, but it can also be amazing and very fulfilling- and definitely what you imagine a typical sugar baby life to be like.”
*Names have been altered for the sake of the participants’ privacy.
Iso
Iso is a writer and filmmaker based in East London. She is passionate about all things erotic and leads a sexy, shame-free life in hope that she can inspire others to do the same. Originally from a Northern seaside town, she is naturally drawn to the best things in life: candyfloss, trashy karaoke bars and heart-shaped sunglasses.
