Eight date ideas for couples who hate Valentine’s Day

In theory, a day dedicated entirely to love sounds like a wonderful idea. Think about it: just for one day, everyone is given licence to indulge their soppiest most saccharine selves, professing adoration to all those closest to them. And yet, Valentine’s Day often has the opposite effect, eliciting fear and dread in all of us, regardless of our relationship status.

For those who are single, the day itself, and all the advertising that generally accompanies it, is little more than a slap in the face. As for those who are in relationships, well, it’s just one giant pressure cooker. How can you have the most romantic day and evening possible? How much money do you have to spend on gifts? What if you’re both feeling a bit tired that day and don’t actually want to have dinner up The Shard?

It doesn’t help that our ideas of romance are often wildly misguided, informed predominantly by Nineties romcoms and kitsch marketing campaigns. All this might lead us to believe that the epitome of romantic love is a candlelit dinner in a Michelin-star restaurant with a string quartet serenading you throughout the meal. Anything less than that and you’ve fallen short: your partner will resent you because you’re officially a failure at love.

Obviously, this isn’t true. But it can be hard to remember that when we’re all sold such a singular view of romance. The thing is, there are actually plenty of things you can do to mark Valentine’s Day that don’t include resorting to cliché or parting with hundreds of pounds. Here are just a few ideas for some alternative date plans. Thank us later.

Go shooting

No, not like in Saltburn. Clay pigeon shooting is now officially a cosmopolitan activity thanks to Clays Bar, which has outposts in Canary Wharf, central London, and Birmingham. Okay, so this is only virtual clay shooting but still, it’s a fun and different way to spend some time with your loved one. Over Valentine’s Day, the bars are offering £6 cocktails to couples and there will also be a live DJ on site. Sounds pretty fun to me.

Try a board game bar

Yes, this is officially a thing. Ideal for the board game nerds among you, Draughts London is a board game bar and restaurant that allows couples to stay away from the constant distractions of their buzzing phones and focus on facing one another in a ruthless battle of Jenga, Cluedo, Monopoly, or literally any other game in the bar’s impressively large library of offerings. It’s retro, it’s different, and it could be really, really fun (especially if you win).

Trade the three-course meal for a tasting menu

We shouldn’t completely dismiss restaurants as an option; going out for a delicious meal with a loved one obviously has its perks. But if you’re going to do that, we suggest upgrading from a standard three-course scenario to a slightly more creative tasting menu, ideally with wine pairings. That way, you can open up your taste buds and try something different with every course, flirting and giggling in between. If you’re in London, we recommend the Valentine’s wine pairing menu at Kutir, a cosy Indian restaurant tucked inside a Chelsea townhouse.

Or you could even try making it yourself at home: Haar At Home, designed by MasterChef Professionals finalist Dean Banks, offers a five-course tasting menu that you can make from the comfort of your own kitchen. The dishes include hand-dived scallops, beef bavette and miso caramel and chocolate pave. Delish.

Play Monopoly – but lifesized

Another one for the game nerds: Monopoly Lifesized at Tottenham Court Road in central London gives people the chance to play the game by completing escape room-style challenges within 90 minutes, moving across the life-sized board and earning as much money as they possibly can. It’s a chance to get competitive with your partner, and there’s also the Top Hat Bar and Restaurant where you can celebrate or commiserate afterwards.

Enjoy a civilised afternoon tea

It’s the kind of activity that’s often reserved for elderly tourists or families of five on a special day out but there’s something undeniably romantic about having a tete-a-tete over pots of posh teapots and miniature sandwiches and scones. If you want to go for the classic (and very expensive) options, try one of London’s hotels on Park Lane. Or if you want something a little more niche, try heading to the Great Scotland Yard Hotel in Westminster where you can get a special Valentine’s Day-themed tea in partnership with Jo Loves exploring the brand’s new floral collection, meaning everything will be bloom as well as romance-themed – think pink chocolate eclairs and rose petals absolutely everywhere.

Venture into an escape room

Can you think of anything more romantic than locking yourself in a room with your loved one and giving yourselves 60 minutes to work out how to escape? Sure, this one might not be for everyone but escape rooms can do wonders in bringing partners closer together; think of all the challenges you’ll have to overcome. The logistical hurdles. The physical conundrums. It will most certainly bring out your competitive side and potentially test the strength of your relationship, so be sure to only risk it if you’re feeling pretty secure in each other and your respective escape room skills. Head to group experience specialists, Fizzbox, to find an escape room near you; there are different ones all over the UK and Europe.

Channel your inner Demi Moore with some pottery

We’ve all seen that iconic moment from Ghost, where Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze canoodle over clay. Well, you can recreate it yourselves for Valentine’s Day by signing up for a pottery class with your beloved. In London, there are plenty of options, including Loom Club’s Clayplay session, Token Studio and Crown Works. But if it’s the actual Ghost experience you’re after, you’ll want to head to Denby Pottery Village in Derbyshire, where you can try a Ghost-themed pottery throwing experience that includes 45 minutes on a potters’ wheel as well as tapas and cocktails. Moore and Swayze, eat your heart out.

Go to the cinema. But do it differently

Watching a film together is not the most obvious romantic activity. OK, there might be some hand-holding from across your seats, and maybe even the odd brush of a leg while on the way to getting more popcorn. But that’s small fry stuff, especially when you’re at the local Odeon watching the latest overrated Hollywood blockbuster. if you’re going to go to the cinema with a partner, it’s best to do it slightly differently. Over Valentine’s Day, plenty of independent cinemas take the opportunity to screen classic romantic films: your Casablancas, your The Way We Weres. And so on. Search around for whatever is playing near you and make a night of it by dressing up and enjoying a tipple or two.