Does romance on Valentine's Day guarantee you sex?

Jasmine Gardner
9 Feb 2010

You have found the perfect restaurant, booked the table, bought the roses - after all that, sex has simply got to be on the cards for Valentine's Day this Sunday, right?

Perhaps, but then, if it were really that easy, then surely there would be no need for all the YouTube videos and blogs online instructing the general masses on "How to guarantee sex on Valentine's Day" (warm baths, massage oils and game-playing are among the suggestions, by the way).

As London's population gears up for a bit of romance this weekend (or for singletons, a way to ignore all that sickening nonsense), I went to Westfield to ask shoppers whether they think grand gestures equal sex on the day.

Yes
Tom, 23, football coach
It definitely does, as long as you take her somewhere good. I'd take her to a nice restaurant and buy her a few little things and then take her back home. I think that would do it.

Yes
Rodney, 23, gas engineer
Forget Valentine's Day, I'm guaranteed sex whenever - because I've got a good bird.

No
Madonna, 24, personal assistant
If it's a new relationship and they did something really cheesy, you'd think: "I'm just going to go home." If you had been with someone for 30 years, you might think: "Let's just roll over and go to sleep."

Yes
Anne, 26, HR
I think so. If they are willing to go the distance, then I would be too.

No
George, 26, mixologist
Last time I tried to be romantic on Valentine's Day I ended up making myself sick by over-indulging and had to go to bed - and not for sex.

No
Francesca, 34, doctor
If you need to go through a whole load of pseudo-romance on Valentine's Day just to get sex, then it doesn't say much for your relationship. And with a heavy meal and lots of alcohol, you risk the sex not happening anyway.

No
Kirsten, 24, student
It's a good start but it's not a guarantee. It's a long night and you might screw it up halfway through.

No
David, 37, entrepreneur
I think there's a lot more to it than just a bit of romance on the day. It's not about ticking a box that says "romance" and it's done. You have to work a lot harder than that.