What is it?

The most talked about new dating event in London! Another import from the States, run in association with Yahoo, it involves eating dinner in the pitch black with several complete strangers!

How does it work?

When you arrive at the venue, you are given a complimentary cocktail and left to mingle with the evening's guests in the bar. When everyone has arrived the host gives a brief introduction to the event and asks you to arrange yourself into groups of six. Don't worry! These are not the groups you'll be sitting with, they split you up and take each person from each group to a different table.

What follows is bizarre! You're lead by waiters in night vision goggles, into a pitch black room (and it really is pitch black, you can't see your hand in front of your face!) and seated at a table. The waiter holds your hand and shows you where your plate, glass and chair is. Once you're seated you'll soon find people nearby wanting to introduce themselves and the table soon fills up. Don't be surprised if the first indication of someone sitting next to you is finding them prodding you. It's so dark, initially the only way to locate things is with your hands... but don't worry no one uses this as an excuse to feel where they shouldn't!

Dinner is 5 courses, but be aware it's a 'taster meal', perfectly adequate but you won't walk away feeling stuffed. All the food is finger food (presumably so people

people don't get stabbed by stray forks!) The only way you can work out what it is, is by feeling and smelling it!

Who does it attract?

The amazing thing is, it doesn't attract ugly people! Talking to a few people on the night there was a theory that you would have to be quite confident about your looks in order to attend and I was really surprised when the lights went up. Nearly everyone on my table (including the man with the sexy Italian drawl) was really good looking!

What's different about it?

How often do you get to have dinner in the pitch black. It's unique!

What does it cost?

£45 but that includes the 5 course meal and as many top ups of wine as you can get out of the waiter while the lights are still off.

What makes it special?

You'll be amazed at how you bond with the people on the table, girls and guys, it's a great leveler and our table couldn't stop laughing. It was the best meal out I've had for a long time. We had such a laugh and I met some really great people. It really was the most unique, surprising and fun dating event I've ever been to. You'll feel like a smug singleton when you tell your married friends how much fun you had!

What's the down side?

The organisation stops when the meal finishes, so if you want to stay in contact with anyone there's nothing as discreet as a scorecard to tick, you have to make the effort to ask for numbers. Currently it only runs in London, but it's well worth the trip into town if you're an hour or so outside.

Any tricks I need to know?

Don't even think about wearing anything luminous (including watches) it's banned! You're also asked to wear dark colours and remember the breath freshener, you want know how close you're leaning into someone in the dark!

It might just have been my sense of humour, but you can cause a lot of laughing and confusion by leaning round the back of your neighbours chair and tapping the shoulder of the person next door but one!

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