Absence of roses can bring Valentine’s Day blues

LOVE may have been in the air at the weekend but law firm MacRoberts seemed determined to bring a reality check to proceedings.

Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in the film version of Fifty Shades of Grey. Picture: PA

Issuing a press release to coincide with Valentine’s Day, the firm pointed out that for some the most romantic 24 hours of the year was “less champagne and roses, more bickering and divorce papers”.

Family law partner Jacqueline Stroud was quick to remind us that 42 per cent of all marriages end in divorce, with events such as birthdays, forgotten anniversaries and the Valentine’s celebrations often proving to be a catalyst for separation.

“There is growing evidence, particularly from America, that 14 February has increasingly become a time of relationship problems with the number of couples separating increasing by as much as 40 per cent around the 14th or immediately afterwards,” she noted.

“This includes people who have delayed on a New Year intention to separate, and those who react to their partner’s response, or lack of response, to Valentine’s Day.

“If the red roses don’t arrive, or the day is just ignored altogether, it can provoke a negative response.”

For Cupid’s sake, we hope that the legal types do not find a queue of customers at their front door this morning.

50 Shades of clever PR

STICKING with the love theme, one member of the Business Desk was the recipient of a rather special copy of EL James’ steamy best-selling novel last week.

The customised hardback version of Fifty Shades of Grey, entitled Fifty Shades of Scott Reid (no blushes spared here), appeared to have some ringing endorsements on its back cover, including one from the Harry Potter author JK Rowling: “Women want him. Men want to be him. Reid’s got it all.” Steamy stuff.

In reality, and this is made quite clear on the inside flap of the book’s dust jacket, were the cautionary words: “PS Things aren’t always what they seem.

“Unwrap this cheeky little cover to find a useful notebook.

“Or leave it lying around your desk. You might just get more than you bargained for this Valentine’s…”

Clever stuff from the girls and boys at PR and events outfit Itison and an interesting addition to the pile of reading material on the Business Desk. However, our man is still waiting…

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