Valentine’s Day 2018: Cheap date ideas and things to do on a budget

If you don’t want to spend a packet to celebrate a day Chaucer made up back in 1375, Soho crisp bar HipChips is built for a casual date; its highland burgundy crisps (£4.40 with two dips) are “romantically” red, too. It mightn’t be the most romantic place in the world, but it’s probably better than heading to the Stockwell branch of Greggs, which is offering three courses complete with candelabras and white tablecloths for £15.

More fashionable is the Pamban Be My Vegan chocolate pop-up this Sunday at Camden Market, where there’s free vegan rose chai, vintage poetry and truffle samples. If things are going well, pick up some edible vegan chocolate massage butter.

Nothing says temptation like tacos: Corazón on Poland Street, Soho, is cooking up a V-day special of beef heart with arbol chilli salsa, creamed parsnip and fresh serrano peppers. Two for £8.

Hackney’s Scandi spot, Oslo, has a three-course menu with the likes of slow-roast pork belly and aubergine parmigiana at £25, with free fizz. If you’re just after a quick drink, though, Mark’s Bar at Hix Soho has a Romeo special on, a mix of vodka, blood orange and rhubarb. Stick to one and it’s £12.

Catch a little culture at The Vaults festival with Tiger, which offers a decidedly avant-garde take on love — or, as playwright Joe Eyre puts it: “This is what happens when I try to write a romantic comedy.” At £14.50, it’s a bargain for theatre.

If your new year’s fitness resolutions have got out of hand, head to the Lee Valley VeloPark for a cycling class meets Four Weddings and a Funeral movie night (£7). There’s also kayaking in a boat for two, followed by afternoon tea.