It may not be a headline you were expecting to read today, but the best places in the UK for a romantic getaway have just been named.
And Blackpool is sitting right at the top of the list.
In case you hadn’t heard, or clocked the date yet, Valentine’s Day is coming up on Friday, so what better way to celebrate the international day of love in all its glory than whisking you and your loved one away on a romantic trip or day out, right?
While most couples would probably have faraway tropical island resorts or European cosmopolitan cities at the top of their travel bucket lists, realistically, that doesn’t always fit into everyone’s budgets, and often leaves us having to stay a little closer to home… but, is Lancashire a little too close? We’d have to go with yes.
Don’t get us wrong, there’s some stunning rural Lancashire villages and towns that should absolutely be destinations on your lists to visit sometime soon, but Blackpool doesn’t exactly scream romance.
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Blackpool has been named one of the UK’s ‘most romantic’ places for a getaway / Credit: Pixahive | Pexels
Despite our initial reactions, it’s true – the Lancashire seaside resort town has been named the best place in the UK for a romantic getaway, according to a research study by travel deals site Tripplo.
The company examined several factors to devise the list of six, including the number of romantic hotels in each city, the total number of reviews for romantic hotels in each town, the average number of reviews, the average Booking.com rating, the average price, and the average star rating – with all hotels filtered using Booking.com’s ‘romantic hotels’ filter.
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An overall ‘romance score’ was then created for each location by equally taking into consideration the number of romantic hotels per 100,000 people, average Booking.com rating, average price per night, and average star rating.
And Blackpool came out as number one.
The seaside resort town achieved an overall romance score of 73.34 out of 100 / Credit: Mark McNeill (via Unsplash)
Achieving an overall romance score of 73.34 out of 100, Blackpool, impressively, was found to have 60 romantic hotels per 100,000 people – which is the sixth highest amount in the UK – and an average Booking.com rating of 8.81, while it also ranked as the cheapest, with the average price of an overnight stay being £103.95 per night.
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It did, however, have an average star rating for the romantic hotels as 3.55, which is unfortunately the third lowest in the country.
If Blackpool in the top spot wasn’t shocking enough as it is, the rest of the list is also pretty questionable too – with the top six being rounded out by Preston, Bath, Wrexham, Chester, and, wait for it… Burnley.
So for once when it comes to a top 10 ranking, the North – and particularly, the North West – is a very well-represented region, so let’s take our wins where we can get them.
Channel 4 needs adult virgins with ‘intimacy issues’ for next series of hit reality show
Emily Sergeant
Channel 4 is back looking for more adult virgins to take part in the potential next series of its hit reality show Virgin Island.
If you’re unfamiliar with Virgin Island, it’s unlike anything ever seen on TV before.
First hitting screens back in 2024 and having run for two successful seasons now, Virgin Island follows the journey of a group of adult virgins who are whisked off to a Mediterranean island retreat to learn life-changing skills in the art of intimacy.
Working with leading international therapists, the aim is to help the young people overcome their fears and insecurities when it comes to intimacy and sex.
Channel 4 said it chose to commission the show after a recent study into intimacy found out that one in eight British 26-year-olds is, apparently, still a virgin.
A casting call for the new series on the Channel 4 website reads: “Are you a virgin and do you need help and guidance with your fears and insecurities around intimacy and sex? Double Act Productions is casting adults for a potential second series of Virgin Island.”
You just need to be over 21 years of age to take part in the show.
Fancy it then? Or know someone who may be up for the ride? Applications for the potential next series of Virgin Island are now open, and there’s still plenty of time left to put your name down.
You can find out more and register your interest here.
Featured Image – Channel 4
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Pep Guardiola in talks over first international management role
Danny Jones
Football icon and Manchester City legend Pep Guardiola is reportedly set for his first job since leaving the Etihad Stadium, as the Catalan head coach looks like he could be set to make his move into international management.
The generational manager, who has undoubtedly become one of, if not the greatest of all time, left Man City at the end of last season after a decade in East Manchester.
Stepping away from the sky blue side with 20 trophies in 10 years, he’s won pretty much everything there is to win – at least at club level, anyway.
With that in mind, multiple outlets are now claiming that Guardiola is getting ready to make his debut on the international circuit, already being heavily linked with a role as part of ‘gli Azzurri’.
EXCLUSIVE: The FIGC has met with Pep Guardiola to convince him to take over as national team head coach, according to Sky in Italy 🚨🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/qmzjunjur4
Yes, as per Sky News’ sporting arm over in Italy, Pep is now rumoured to be the next person to take the job in their national team, which would be his first proper senior position in international football.
According to Sky, the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) have already held meetings with the former Barcelona, Bayern Munich and City boss.
It remains unclear how advanced talks and/or negotiations have progressed up to this point, but it is said that fellow footballing veteran and AC Milan legend turned FIGC technical director, Paolo Maldini, has already travelled to meet the 55-year-old.
Believed to have been joined by former teammate and right-hand man Leonardo Araújo – who previously served as director at PSG – it looks to be more a case of whether Pep wants the job rather than if Italy want him.
From announcing a documentary series covering his final season at Man City, to even launching a dedicated ‘Decade of Pep’ fashion collection, it’s fair to say that both the club and the fan base are bidding a bittersweet goodbye.
Pep has already made it clear that he can’t see himself ever managing the Spanish national team, remarking: “I am a Catalan. I don’t see myself ever managing Spain.”
Meanwhile, other names rumoured as options for the Italian manager’s job include Andrea Pirlo and a return by fellow ex-MCFC boss, Roberto Mancini. Can you see Pep pipping any of these to the post?
As for his former club and ‘second home’, Cityzens will be glad to hear that while it may be all change over at the Etihad Campus, there is plenty to be hopeful about – including some steps more in the right direction when it comes to tickets.
Emily Sergeant -
12th February 2025 
