Hugh Knowles is feeling optimistic about Valentine’s Day bookings at his four indoor mini-golf venues in and around London this weekend.
The managing director of Puttshack expects February’s takings to surpass pre-pandemic levels seen in 2020 — right before the coronavirus crisis forced the closure of hospitality venues and non-essential shops across the country.
With the company’s branches mostly shut until May last year, aside from a few periods where restrictions eased enough for the venue to reopen, Puttshack upped its marketing budget by 25 per cent this month to give its “hole lotta love” Valentine’s packages — available until February 15 — a boost.
“I expect Valentine's to be the peak of this year so far,” Mr Knowles told The National.
“We’re seeing a huge demand coming through and our website traffic has increased by 25,000 per cent but it’s non-comparable with last year, which was a dead duck because we were closed during lockdown.”
Puttshack, which describes itself as “tech-infused mini-golf”, because technology inside the golf balls updates customers' scores as they play, has Valentine’s offers on its games and food and beverage menu. It is banking on a bumper weekend of bookings as Covid cases decline in the UK.
UK Valentine's spend set to hit £1.37bn in 2022
Up to 91 per cent of the UK could be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year, projections from comparison platform Finder.com show, with Britons expected to take advantage of the easing restrictions to lavish their loved ones with gifts or dates.
This is up on the 40 million Britons — 76 per cent of the adult population — who celebrated the day of love in 2021 and even a rise on the 41.4 million who embraced the occasion in 2020 before the pandemic took hold.
Finder.com expects a total UK spend of £1.37 billion ($1bn) for the romantic day this year, a huge jump on the £926 million spent in 2021, when England was still in lockdown with similar restrictions elsewhere in the country. However, this year’s total will still be below the 2020 figure of £1.45bn.
Puttshack's upbeat bookings for the weekend are a welcome relief for the company, said Mr Knowles, which saw a boom-like recovery from the crisis in the first two weeks of December when corporate bookings soared in the run-up to Christmas.
However, restriction announcements by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson hit demand.
“They were surpassing our 2019 numbers. But then, after Boris's announcements about Omicron restrictions, they declined rapidly,” said Mr Knowles, who said the venue typically attracts millennial and Generation Z clientele, as well as corporate bookings and families during the day.
“February is important for us and we’re seeing a lot of pent-up demand as Puttshack super-resonates with the dating market. We’re just delighted to have the venues back open to be able to do this,” he added.
Cost-of-living crisis could dampen demand
With Valentine’s Day falling on a Monday this year, combined with continued financial pressure and concerns about Omicron, many people are likely to spend the night at home, said Carmen Bryan, consumer analyst at GlobalData.
“As a high percentage of Britons are under financial pressure, and concerned about eating out, restaurants are still unlikely to see the same footfall experienced in pre-pandemic years,” Ms Bryan told The National.
While some may book romantic nights out at the weekend instead, one in five people in the UK are currently extremely concerned about their financial situation, GlobalData’s fourth quarter 2021 consumer survey showed — a figure that rises to a third among millennials.
“On top of that, the same survey found that many are still reluctant to venture out, with 28 per cent of people reportedly concerned about eating out because of exposure to Covid-19,” said Ms Bryan.
“Many retailers, from Tesco to Marks & Spencer, have been offering Valentine's meals for two, emphasising their affordability through promotions — which will appeal to the third of financially pressured millennials.”
While Mr Johnson has indicated he plans to lift all coronavirus restrictions in England by the end of the month, a move that could offer a boost to the economy — which saw its output dip 0.2 per cent in December amid the Omicron outbreak — this might not be enough to persuade Britons to spend more.
Many households are facing a cost-of-living crisis in which their real incomes could decline up to 2 per cent this year — the largest on record — when a leap in utility prices and rise in taxation takes effect on April 1.
Capital Economics expects real household disposable income to decline by a cumulative £80bn over the next two years, despite an expected surge in inflation to a peak of 7.5 per cent in April from December’s 5.4 per cent.
However, some consumers may still look to spend big this February before the cost-of-living increases really start to bite in April when energy price and tax rises kick in, if the economic growth outlook is anything to go by.
“Surging Omicron cases of Covid-19 may have knocked about 1 per cent off GDP over December and January,” said Paul Dales at Capital Economics.
“But the latest data for January suggest that the impact has been short-lived. We expect GDP to rebound quickly, leaving output flat over Q1 as a whole. Beyond that, the hit to real household incomes from surging inflation and tax rises is likely to weigh on GDP growth.”
Will consumers splash out before living costs rise?
Mr Knowles certainly expects his customers to spend more this year.
“At the moment, I'm still seeing people wanting to spend,” he said.
“Our price point is not extortionate, it ranges from £7.50 to £13.50, and we're average for the price of a drink or a burger or pizza from the restaurant. So, it's an affordable price with our average spend ranging from £15 to £25 per person.”
Restaurateur Ibrahim Dogus, who owns three restaurants around the London Eye tourist attraction, including kebab eatery Troia Southbank, is hoping for a last-minute surge in Valentine's Day bookings this weekend.
His business has been hammered by closures over the past two years, with takings in 2020 and 2021 significantly down on 2019 figures because his outlets cater heavily to international tourists visiting London and office workers in the local area.
“We are still waiting for our customers to arrive but we're hopeful that we will see an increase in turnover over Valentine's weekend,” Mr Dogus told The National.
While Troia Southbank has already received more than 100 bookings for the weekend, Mr Dogus's other two eateries — an Italian restaurant and a steakhouse — have only received about 15 to 20 bookings so far.
“We're hoping for last-minute bookings,” Mr Dogus said.
Like Mr Knowles at Puttshack, Mr Dogus, who runs the British Kebab Awards, said Christmas was a disappointment when Omicron restrictions curtailed demand.
“It was getting busier and we were almost at about 40 per cent of our pre-pandemic trade then everyone disappeared,” he said.
“There might be a little lift from Valentine's but with travel restrictions coming to an end and workers invited back into offices, hopefully we'll start seeing more people in central London.”
London is Britain's top spender for Valentine's
London is certainly the leader when it comes to Valentine’s spending in cities across the UK.
People living in the capital spend the most on their partners for the big day, said online gifts retailer Cartwright and Butler, which found that Londoners spend an average £56.39 on Valentine’s presents for their loved ones.
Southampton in Hampshire came in second with an average spend of £50.38 on gifts, with Manchester in third with £39.90, while residents in Scotland's capital Edinburgh spend the least on their other half — shelling out only £12.95.
While Puttshack is focused on the mid-range segment of the market, the Bvlgari Hotel in Knightsbridge is firmly focused on the luxury sector.
The hotel's B. Indulged experience — a two-night stay for two adults in a Bvlgari Suite, the top-room category — costs £10,000 and includes a three-course lunch, a cigar and beverage-tasting experience in the hotel’s Edward Sahakian Cigar Shop, and breakfast.
A 210-minute spa experience at the hotel’s spa’s Private Onyx Suite is also thrown in, along with dinner served on the suite's terrace cooked by a private chef.
The package was created to provide “the ultimate luxury treat to kick-start life after lockdown”, the hotel said.
“There is a surge in three-to-four-night weekend enquiries to include the Monday night,” the Bvlgari told The National.
“We have been experiencing a rush of inquiries as London returns to normal following the easing of restrictions.”
Rise of Galentine's and Palentine's Day
Spending on others is one thing, but spending on yourself or your friends is also an increasingly popular trend.
Amish Patel, aesthetics practitioner and skincare expert at Intrigue Cosmetic Clinic, which has two branches in Kent, said his services are fully booked before February 14 as clients spend on facials “to supercharge their skincare … in time for their romantic dinner for two”.
“My clients say they are celebrating Valentine's in a bigger way this year — either by extending their day with weekends away, lavish dinners at high-end restaurants and making this year a date to remember,” Mr Patel told The National.
While Mr Patel said the clinic typically receives a rush of bookings in the lead up to Christmas, there has been “a bigger jump this year for Valentine's” with a 30 per cent increase in bookings on 2019.
“We have also seen a big uptake in lip filler clients over the past couple of weeks, with clients citing that they want to have the perfect pout for Valentine's and beyond,” Mr Patel said.
“Our male clients also want to look their best with jawline fillers and anti-wrinkle injections.”
Others are following another trend such as Palentine's or Galentine's, Mr Patel added, when people celebrate love with their friends on the eve of February 14.
“Britons love an excuse to celebrate, so in that respect, Valentine’s Day is still going strong. However, it is evolving,” said analyst Ms Bryan.
“Many in the UK are marrying later in life, or don’t see the need to marry at all giving rise to the Galentine’s and Palentine’s alternative celebrations.”
Covid safey still a concern for date nights
Despite optimism, Covid safety is still at the forefront of people’s minds, which is why Mr Knowles said his Puttshack team have worked hard on Covid safety to encourage customers to come out on February 14 — with staff tested regularly and golf balls and clubs sanitised after use.
“Our surveys say safety is still important to our customers in the F&B and leisure sector,” Mr Knowles said.
Some of the UK's leading dating apps, such as Tinder, Match, OurTime, OkCupid and Plenty of Fish, have also backed the government's Get Boosted Now campaign to encourage young people to receive their Covid booster before Valentine's Day.
Those who share their vaccination status on dating apps receive 30 per cent more matches than those who do not, dating app Hinge reported, while more than a third told a Plenty of Fish survey that they view vaccination as a desirable trait.
So far, about 60 per cent of eligible young people between the ages of 18 and 34 have been boosted, with Minister for Vaccines Maggie Throup lauding “people making the most of our restored freedoms thanks to the vaccination programme".
“Now getting a booster may even help you find someone special to share them all with,” Ms Throup added.
Valentine's Day around the world - in pictures
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
WHAT%20MACRO%20FACTORS%20ARE%20IMPACTING%20META%20TECH%20MARKETS%3F
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German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
if you go
The flights
Direct flights from the UAE to the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, are available with Air Arabia, (www.airarabia.com) Fly Dubai (www.flydubai.com) or Etihad (www.etihad.com) from Dh1,200 return including taxes. The trek described here started from Jomson, but there are many other start and end point variations depending on how you tailor your trek. To get to Jomson from Kathmandu you must first fly to the lake-side resort town of Pokhara with either Buddha Air (www.buddhaair.com) or Yeti Airlines (www.yetiairlines.com). Both charge around US$240 (Dh880) return. From Pokhara there are early morning flights to Jomson with Yeti Airlines or Simrik Airlines (www.simrikairlines.com) for around US$220 (Dh800) return.
The trek
Restricted area permits (US$500 per person) are required for trekking in the Upper Mustang area. The challenging Meso Kanto pass between Tilcho Lake and Jomson should not be attempted by those without a lot of mountain experience and a good support team. An excellent trekking company with good knowledge of Upper Mustang, the Annaurpuna Circuit and Tilcho Lake area and who can help organise a version of the trek described here is the Nepal-UK run Snow Cat Travel (www.snowcattravel.com). Prices vary widely depending on accommodation types and the level of assistance required.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
RESULTS
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
TEACHERS' PAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Pay varies significantly depending on the school, its rating and the curriculum. Here's a rough guide as of January 2021:
- top end schools tend to pay Dh16,000-17,000 a month - plus a monthly housing allowance of up to Dh6,000. These tend to be British curriculum schools rated 'outstanding' or 'very good', followed by American schools
- average salary across curriculums and skill levels is about Dh10,000, recruiters say
- it is becoming more common for schools to provide accommodation, sometimes in an apartment block with other teachers, rather than hand teachers a cash housing allowance
- some strong performing schools have cut back on salaries since the pandemic began, sometimes offering Dh16,000 including the housing allowance, which reflects the slump in rental costs, and sheer demand for jobs
- maths and science teachers are most in demand and some schools will pay up to Dh3,000 more than other teachers in recognition of their technical skills
- at the other end of the market, teachers in some Indian schools, where fees are lower and competition among applicants is intense, can be paid as low as Dh3,000 per month
- in Indian schools, it has also become common for teachers to share residential accommodation, living in a block with colleagues
Teams in the EHL
White Bears, Al Ain Theebs, Dubai Mighty Camels, Abu Dhabi Storms, Abu Dhabi Scorpions and Vipers
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MATCH INFO
Wales 1 (Bale 45 3')
Croatia 1 (Vlasic 09')
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group C
Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
So what is Spicy Chickenjoy?
Just as McDonald’s has the Big Mac, Jollibee has Spicy Chickenjoy – a piece of fried chicken that’s crispy and spicy on the outside and comes with a side of spaghetti, all covered in tomato sauce and topped with sausage slices and ground beef. It sounds like a recipe that a child would come up with, but perhaps that’s the point – a flavourbomb combination of cheap comfort foods. Chickenjoy is Jollibee’s best-selling product in every country in which it has a presence.
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BLACKBERRY
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Premier League results
Saturday
Crystal Palace 1 Brighton & Hove Albion 2
Cardiff City 2 West Ham United 0
Huddersfield Town 0 Bournemouth 2
Leicester City 3 Fulham 1
Newcastle United 3 Everton 2
Southampton 2 Tottenham Hotspur 1
Manchester City 3 Watford 1
Sunday
Liverpool 4 Burnley 2
Chelsea 1 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
Arsenal 2 Manchester United 0
What drives subscription retailing?
Once the domain of newspaper home deliveries, subscription model retailing has combined with e-commerce to permeate myriad products and services.
The concept has grown tremendously around the world and is forecast to thrive further, according to UnivDatos Market Insights’ report on recent and predicted trends in the sector.
The global subscription e-commerce market was valued at $13.2 billion (Dh48.5bn) in 2018. It is forecast to touch $478.2bn in 2025, and include the entertainment, fitness, food, cosmetics, baby care and fashion sectors.
The report says subscription-based services currently constitute “a small trend within e-commerce”. The US hosts almost 70 per cent of recurring plan firms, including leaders Dollar Shave Club, Hello Fresh and Netflix. Walmart and Sephora are among longer established retailers entering the space.
UnivDatos cites younger and affluent urbanites as prime subscription targets, with women currently the largest share of end-users.
That’s expected to remain unchanged until 2025, when women will represent a $246.6bn market share, owing to increasing numbers of start-ups targeting women.
Personal care and beauty occupy the largest chunk of the worldwide subscription e-commerce market, with changing lifestyles, work schedules, customisation and convenience among the chief future drivers.
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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THE SPECS
Engine: six-litre W12 twin-turbo
Transmission: eight-speed dual clutch auto
Power: 626bhp
Torque: 900Nm
Price: Dh940,160 (plus VAT)
On sale: Q1 2020
Scoreline
Chelsea 1
Azpilicueta (36')
West Ham United 1
Hernandez (73')
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The Lowdown
Kesari
Rating: 2.5/5 stars
Produced by: Dharma Productions, Azure Entertainment
Directed by: Anubhav Singh
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
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