Are you feeling loved-up this Valentine's Day?

The Elk Mill retail park in Royton

Shoppers in Oldham are feeling loved-up this Valentine’s Day as new research shows they were set to splash out more than £6.3m on gifts, wining and dining, and mini-breaks.

A survey of 2,000 people by British Land, owners of Elk Mill, found that more than half (56%) of Oldham residents will celebrate the most romantic day of the year, with one in three (34%) planning to treat their loved ones the weekend prior.

With this in mind, Elk Mill dubbed the weekend of February 10 and 11 the ‘weekend of wooing’ as Oldham’s retailers and restaurants saw a surge in visitors.

But Oldham love birds expecting to be woken up with a romantic breakfast in bed may be disappointed as just two per cent say they’ll be making breakfast in bed this year, with nearly three in ten (28%) preferring to go out for a candlelit meal for two instead.

When it comes to choosing the perfect Valentine’s gift, it seems Oldham residents are hopeless romantics, as traditional presents - greetings cards (44%), perfume and aftershave (14%) and flowers (10%) - remain among the most popular ways to say ‘I love you’.

And it’s not just other halves that will be treated this year either as, in some cases, children (6%) can expect to receive a Valentine’s gift too.

Daniel Davis, centre manager at Elk Mill, said: “Valentine’s Day is a busy time for our retailers and restaurants as shoppers look to celebrate and treat their loved ones.

"With more than a third of residents likely to be celebrating the weekend prior to Valentine’s Day this year, we’re looking forward to spreading the love, whether that’s helping people choose the perfect gift or welcoming couples for dinner.”