Who said romance is dead?! – Two-thirds say Valentine’s Day is more important than ever as Britain’s most romantic Post Offices announced

Half of Brits agree that giving meaningful gifts to loved ones has become more important since the pandemic.
Over a quarter of people like or love Valentine’s Day, with 16–24-year-olds liking it the most (43%).
However, gone are the days of singletons sending a card to their Valentine’s crush.
Britain’s most romantic Post Offices announced which include a bar, high-end florist, and chocolatiers

Brits feel it is more important than ever to show loved ones that they care this Valentine’s Day, as half say meaningful gifts which require greater thought have become more valued since the pandemic.

This has led to just under one in five (18%) to spend more on cards and gifts this year than they have done previously. Whilst 41% plan to pen a card to their partner, one in six say they will send one to their family or friends (16%).

Ironically, among those who are least likely to be getting a card this Valentine’s Day are our crushes, especially in the workplace. Gone are the days of singletons sending a card to someone they fancy with just 3% planning to do so, and women are even less likely to write one than men.

The new research by the Post Office found that 18% are likely to spend more money on occasions such as Valentine’s Day this year, with men likely to spend more than previous years compared to women. Women are also more likely to buy from online marketplaces and more inclined to get creative by making homemade gifts and cards.

Kristian Latham, Head of Letters and Parcels at the Post Office commented: “Post Offices have long been the unexpected romantic-hubs of Britain, the first step in the journey of Valentine’s Day. It is encouraging to see from our research that this purpose hasn’t been lost with plenty of Brits planning to celebrate the occasion”.

Younger generations reported the greatest enjoyment of Valentine’s Day with 16–24-year-olds liking it the most (43%). Whereas middle-aged Brits reported the greatest dislike of the day, with nearly a third feeling this way (31%).

To celebrate its often-overlooked role as a romantic hub for Valentine’s Day gifts and letters, the Post Office is shining a light on Britain’s most romantic branches.

Kristian Latham added: “These Post Offices have been carefully selected and are some of the quirkiest, fun and most charming branches in Britain. A lot of people don’t realise how diverse the Post Office network is or how much of a role postmasters play at the heart of communities for events such as Valentine’s Day. We have Post Office’s in churches, pubs, restaurants, chocolatiers, gift shops and florists, so these are places you can date, buy gifts and even marry in!”

Andrew Robinson, Manager at RedH in Haslemere whose branch features on the list said: “Our Post Office is joined with our bar & restaurant, so you can have a drink, buy gifts produced at our distillery and then post them to your loved ones. I’ve run our branch for a couple of years now and found it to be a winning combination for our regulars who are preparing ahead of Valentine’s Day”.

Kelly Annets, Postmistress at Birnam Post Office which doubles up as the Chattan Tea Room and gift shop said: “ I love this time of year and it’s a fantastic opportunity to decorate my business and bring some romance to an area which is already a popular hot spot for weddings. My gift shop will be very busy as we approach Valentine’s Day and I can always tell when a customer is on a first date in our tearoom from the way they look at each other.”

Dilesh Naran, Postmaster at Blaby Post Office which is partnered with Thorntons said: “I’ve been running the Blaby branch for 17 years and our ability to personalise gifts for people’s loved ones has proved very popular in the run up to Valentine’s Day. Whether it’s a bath bomb gift set, heartwarming card or box of chocolates, I love helping customers to pick the perfect gift and I can provide the same level of support for online customers too through our new website.”

Dhaval Gosaliya, Postmaster for Barton Seagrave which includes a high-end gift shop, commented: “I’ve been running our branch for six years and enjoy seeing the same customers coming in to buy and post gifts each year. We love to get involved with helping people to find the perfect card and gifts. This year we have taken great pleasure in helping our customers choose from our new range of high-end jewellery and accessories.”

Britain’s top five most romantic Post Office branches – selected on their charm, quirkiness and offerings are as follows:

RedH Bar, Haslemere Post Office – bar and restaurant.
Castle Cary Post Office– premium florist.
Birnam Post Office – Gift shop and tea-room offering breakfast, lunch and homemade cakes
Barton Seagrave –high-end gift shop
Blaby Post Office – Gift shop partnered with Thorntons

About the Post Office

With over 11,500 branches, Post Office has the biggest retail network in the UK, with more branches than all the banks and building societies combined.
Post Office is helping anyone who wants cash to get it whichever way is most convenient. Partnership with over 30 banks, building societies and credit unions means that 99% of UK bank customers can access their accounts at their Post Office.
Cash withdrawals, deposits and balance enquiries can be made securely and conveniently over the counter at any Post Office; and the biggest investment by any organisation or company in the last decade is being made to safeguard 1,400 free-to-use ATMs across the UK.
Post Office is simplifying its proposition for Postmasters with a focus on its cash and banking; mails and parcels; foreign exchange; and; bill payments services.
Research has found that visits to the Post Office help drive another 400 million visitors to other shops, restaurants and local businesses equating to an estimated £1.1 billion in additional revenue for High Street businesses.
99.7% of the population live within three miles of a Post Office; and 4,000 branches are open seven days a week.