Looking for love on an industrial scale

On the industrial outskirts of Shanghai, about two hours from the famous colonial-era Bund, there is a place called Thamestown – a modern housing development marketed to China’s nouveau riche as the embodiment of all things English. While many of the mock tudor villas in the gated community appear empty, the replica huge cathedral in the centre has become a trendy place for young couples to hold western-style weddings.

Last weekend this auspicious location was the scene of a giant matchmaking festival, organised with the local government and aimed at bringing together some of the estimated 500,000 eligible lonely hearts in the city. Outside the cathedral thousands of participants milled around, many accompanied by anxious parents who snatched at promising looking bystanders, shoving them towards their offspring or conducting short interrogation sessions to determine suitability.