Valentine’s Day in pubs – a match made by Cupid?

Here’s a reminder that might be helpful: Valentine’s Day is fast approaching. Whether you’re the type who’s already booked the restaurant and bought the card, or the kind who complains every year about the greeting card industry commoditising romance, this is useful information. Okay, so the concept can be nauseating and it’s more than a bit cheesy. However, you can stand to gain from it, whether you’re a punter or a publican.

If you own a pub, have you thought about running any promotions for Valentine’s Day? As it falls on a Sunday this year, the pub could be a perfect place for couples to go. Not everyone wants to celebrate it in a schmaltzy way – and you could be perfectly poised to fill a need for couples who want to do something together without spending a fortune or making a huge deal out of the occasion. Alternatively, if you hate everything it stands for, you could be a haven for those who feel the same way – use the opportunity to reward people going to the pub with friends, or celebrate a love of great beer and hold a mini beer festival.

If you’re looking for things to do on Valentine’s Day for yourself and your partner, again, the pub could be the perfect choice. If you want to celebrate it on the day, then pubs and Sundays are made to go together (plus, if you’re the last-minute type, you don’t have to book in most pubs). Is your beloved a beer fan? If so, taking them to a pub with a good selection will really show that you know what they like – it says a lot more than a cheesy teddy or an impersonal bunch of flowers. If you’ve only just started seeing each other, again, it’s perfect – low key, no pressure, but still making an effort.

Still not convinced? BitterSweet Partnership research has shown that beer is more suitable for romantic dates than you’d think - our research found that 44% of men would be pleasantly surprised to see their date drinking a beer, and 26% would be secretly pleased. Good food, good drink, a laid back atmosphere and the company of someone who enjoys these things too – sounds like a perfect date to me.

What do you think? Do pubs do enough to capture Valentine’s Day trade, or are they better off not trying to compete? And whether you’re single, married, or somewhere in between, will you be going to the pub this Valentine’s Day?

(Image by Bernt Rostad)