Valentine romance in Romford

Thursday, February 12, 2004
9:25 PM

ROMANCE in Britain has gone to the dogs.

At least, it has if one piece of Valentines-related research is to be believed.

Because an Essex location has been declared the most amorous spot in the country.

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ROMANCE in Britain has gone to the dogs.

At least, it has if one piece of Valentines-related research is to be believed.

Because an Essex location has been declared the most amorous spot in the country.

But where and how can this enchanted place be experienced?

Gazing from the Naze over a moonlit Pennyhole Bay, or lying in the shade of the eponymous Castle Headingham?

Perhaps rowing along the Stour, surrounded by landscape unchanged since Constable's time? Surprisingly, no.

The most romantic place in the whole of Britian is, according to the new report - Romford.

The concrete-drowned, greyhound-racing Mecca of Havering borough, crunched between Thurrock, Ilford and Brentwood, is apparently the most idyllic spot in the UK.

The revelation was made by statisticians for supermarket chain Tesco, who have been carefully analysing the sale of Valentine's Day gifts.

Love struck Romford people have spent an average £52 each at their local store over the past two weeks on goods such as champagne, flowers, cards and chocolates.

Tesco analysed sales over the past fortnight at special Valentine's sections within 200 of its larger branches and then divided the total by the number of purchases.

Dundee is the second most romantic place, according to the results, with shoppers spending an average £44 each, followed by Milton Keynes (£40), Watford (£38), Leicester (£35), Warrington (£33), Cumbernauld in North Lanarkshire (£30), Cambridge (£28), Newcastle upon Tyne (£26), and Peterborough (£25).

Greg Sage, spokesman for Tesco, said: "Romford must be one of the most loved-up places in Britain judging by the way people are buying presents for each other."

But people in Colchester were far from convinced.

Peter Redhead, who runs That Shop Too in North Station Road, said his flower-delivery business had taken plenty of orders for Valentine's Day.

"The most romantic place in Britain cannot be Romford. That really wouldn't be the first place to spring to mind. All it's famous for is Steve Davis," he said.

Pamela King, from Eight Ash Green, was equally unimpressed.

"It's just a bit of London, isn't it? I read something about it recently, but it has never attracted me.

"I would have thought that if the most romantic spot is in Essex it would be somewhere like Dedham or Flatford Mill. Colchester is good, too, with lots of nice places to eat and you can go to the theatre."

Pam Hamilton, who lives in Colchester, said: "Romford is just a busy concrete market isn't it? There's no greenery or peace there. Mind you the rest of Essex is not much better anyway. If you want romance, you should go to Scotland."