The dark side of dating

For those who may be shy or embarrassed about their looks, here is the ultimate chance to let their personality shine. Never mind if you think your dress sense is wide of the mark, that your nose is the wrong shape - or if you are having a bad hair day.

From tonight comes the opportunity to impress a possible future partner without such inhibitions getting in the way. Fifty single men and women will meet in an Oxford Street bar for an event that redefines the term "blind date".

Dinner In The Dark guests will spend the evening at the Ascot Bar chatting to prospective partners over a fivecourse meal in complete darkness.

In a city obsessed with dating and the plight of "singletons" - such as Bridget Jones and the girls from Sex And The City - organisers of the event insist that the normal way to meet people does not cut it any more.

The event's organiser, Frenchborn Christian Mouysset, said: "The old way of meeting people is too traumatic."

The 25-year old - who is single, incidentally - added: "It is difficult approaching someone you like the look of in a bar and asking them out.

"There are too many problems with that - people are wary and there is always the fear of being rejected. But, by removing one of the senses - seeing - this makes for a more intriguing and fun way of meeting people.

"And the bonus is you don't have to worry about what to wear. This is all about getting to know people for what they are."

The evening, which costs £45, begins at 8pm - with drinks in the basement bar.

The lights are still on at this point, so it is a brief opportunity for guests to eye up potential prey.

After a brief introduction,

participants are guided by hand into a blacked-out room and to their tables.

No one needs to be concerned that they might get lost in the darkness - the waiters are all wearing the sort of night-vision goggles that are usually the preserve of special forces operations.

The main mission for the guests, of course, is to avoid sitting on anyone else's lap by mistake, accidentally elbowing a waiter, or spilling the contents of the first course over potential partners.

The menu is chosen to include finger food that can be eaten without the need for a knife or fork.

Chef Thomas Taylor has prepared a selection of " nonspillable" food - sushi, pitta bread stuffed with chicken aux herbes, salmon and petits-fours.

The fun of deciphering what is on the plate in front of you is, organisers say, when inhibitions are really broken down. Apparently turing the lights off has led to some wild behaviour in America, where the Dinner In The Dark format, which was first launched in New York, has been running for almost a year.

Mr Mouysset, who came up with the original idea, said: "You find people talking louder than usual because they have to rely on being heard to attract members of the opposite sex.

"The focus is on conversation, as everyone is vying for attention. It allows people to become less inhibited and get on with one another.

"On one occasion a woman said someone had spilled water on her chair. But it was just an excuse for her to sit on the lap of the man next to her. No one wants the lights on so, when mobile phone lights up with a call, the owner gets jumped on. It's enormous fun."

Normality is slowly reintroduced to the evening when candles are lit at dessert time.

Finally, diners head back to the bar to continue conversation with their new acquaintances.

The experience in America is that any aloof or reserved behaviour at first generally gives way to animated conversation and flirting.

"That's what always happens," says Mr Mouysset.

"Everyone gets on brilliantly and often go on to late-night bars. What happens thereafter, I have no idea."