Professional matchmakers to offer advice in park

More professional matchmaking agencies will offer their services in People's Park, Shanghai, a popular but unregulated matchmaking venue, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.

The move is part of the city's efforts to regulate the matchmaking industry and establish a creditable system, according to the Shanghai Matchmaking Association.

In the eight years since the matchmaking corner of the park was established, evidence of fraud and illegal charging has surfaced among unregistered matchmakers.

From June, professional agencies will set up in the park and provide matchmaking and advisory services once every three months, with about 10 agencies taking part, according to the association.

People's Park became a popular matchmaking haunt in 2004 and since then increasing numbers of parents have flocked there at weekends to advertise information about their unmarried children in the hope of finding them a spouse.