City lovebirds flock to skyscrapers and cable cars for Valentine’s Day bookings
Valentine's Day is now less than two weeks away, and you’ve only just realised, haven’t you? Securing a restaurant with a view might be hard this year, as the Square Mile’s skyscrapers are already fully booked.
Saturday 13th February is the big day for London’s lovebirds, as many venues won’t be open on Sunday. Jason Atherton’s City Social in Tower 42 off Old Broad Street will be closed for the big day, but the Michelin-starred eatery is already fully booked on Saturday night with 190 covers.
The Sky Garden in Fenchurch Street’s Walkie Talkie is also proving extremely popular. Both of its restaurants are fully booked on Saturday night, and 90 per cent full on Sunday. A spokesperson tells us that customers are pretty organised this year. A handful were even calling to make a Valentine’s Day booking in September last year.
Read more: How to book a visit to the Sky Garden
The only places high-flyers might be able to dine on-high that weekend are Sushisamba or Duck and Waffle. Both are notoriously difficult to secure a booking for, but there are some spaces left for late diners at 11:30pm. At least then you could be clinking glasses at midnight when V-day actually starts.
If you want a view without a hefty bill, TfL is spicing things up with a chance to spend 20 minutes in a private cable car with nothing but champagne, chocolates and a date for £50.
Will 20 minutes alone with panoramic views be too romantic? Will staff have to deal with amorous couples trying to join some sort of poor man’s Mile High club?
A spokesperson for TfL said “no”, but did go on to list a number of security measures that will be in place: CCTV in all cars, an in-cabin Walkie-Talkie to check up on other passengers, and security staff at both the London Eye and Greenwich terminals. You’ve been warned.