Single man lands Valentine’s Day date after taking out £425 billboard to find love

The billboard attracted thousands of bids for Mark's heart
Mark Rolfe

A single man who took out a billboard in an eye-catching attempt to find a girlfriend has secured a date for Valentine’s Day.

The roadside ad featured the web address “DatingMark.co.uk” - a dedicated site through which potential suitors could apply to win his heart.

But having received more than 2,300 applications over the past two weeks, the Sheffield resident is finally set for a romantic Friday evening with a special someone.

The website includes stats on Mr Rolfe's height, shoe size, and even how many girls he’s kissed
Mark Rolfe

“I don’t want to reveal too much in respect of the woman’s privacy, but I hope it’ll go well,” Mr Rofe told The Standard.

“I left it a bit late,” he admitted, “so all the restaurants were fully booked for Valentine’s. But we’ll go for a few nice drinks somewhere nearby.”

The 30-year-old, who previously described his perfect match as someone “who doesn't take themselves too seriously,” said the Dating Mark website was now closed to applicants.

“This was never about how many people I could get to apply to date me, and I’m pretty confident I’ll find someone who’s right for me among those who’ve already applied.”

Mr Rolfe was fed up with dating apps so decided to make his profile stand out

He acknowledged it hadn’t been an entirely straight-forward process, however.

“Around half the messages I’ve received are from men,” he said back in January. “I probably should’ve explained that I’m straight but still, it’s a nice boost.”

The billboard is now due to be taken down from its site but, Mr Rofe would argue, it was money well spent.

“£425 may seem like a lot,” he said, “but it’s not if it helps you find the love of your life.”