Speeddating: "Cupid Will Be Firing His Arrow"

Cupid will be firing his arrow - for a 17 fee per person - when the matchmaking concept hits bars in Glasgow next month. Its UK launch was in London last year. Glasgow is already rivalling Paris as the city of romance as its international reputation grows with the City of Love festival. Now those aged between 24 and 36 will be able to visit a bar in the Merchant City where they will find another 30 to 50 people who are looking for a partner. The system works like this: contestants are given just three minutes to chat in the hunt for the perfect partner before a bell rings and they rotate to the next candidate. Everyone keeps a score card, noting the names of potential perfect partners. Organisers then pass on e-mail details to those who appear to be mutual matches. Simon Prockter, founder of Speed Dater, said today Glaswegians had already fallen in love with the scheme. He said: "Outside of London, Glasgow has been the city with most requests for an event. "We know it will work in Glasgow as there is plenty of demand and we hope it extends to having weekly events."The system is a hit in the US and became such a part of the singles culture it featured in Sex and the City starring Sarah Jessica Parker. Mr Prockter said he launched the speed date concept because people were wasting too many evenings on awkward blind dates. He added: "I was single and had tried internet dating, but having spent awkward evenings with people I just wasn't attracted to, I realised speed dating was the way forward. "It is fast, fun and rejection-free, avoids the awkwardness and potential embarrassment of blind dates and is much easier and less intimidating than trying to meet people in a bar." Speed dating is a step forward from lonely hearts ads and internet and telephone dating. More information on the scheme is available on www.speeddater.co.uk The firstGlasgow event will take place on February 19 at a location in the Merchant City, which will be revealed only to those taking part.