In the words of The Beatles – ‘All You Need is Love’. Loved-up Brits have shared their secrets to successful dating as well as the key to happy long-term relationships.

A survey of 1,000 adults by One4all Gift Cards found that over half (59%) of Brits believe being honest with each other makes for a stronger relationship. This was swiftly followed by laughing together (53%), displays of affection (34%) and supporting each other’s dreams (34%).

We’re also a nation of generous lovers with 1 in 10 respondents admitting gestures and surprise gifts are the way to their hearts. Spontaneity in a relationship, whether that’s dates, dinner or presents, also has a place in British romance with more than 1 in 10 (13%) saying it’s important in a longterm relationship.

When thinking of how to plan the perfect date night, it seems being polite is crucial, with a staggering three quarters (75%) of women saying rude behaviour would be a definite red flag.

Offering to treat our partner is equally expected by both sexes, with nearly 1 in 4 women (23%) saying that not paying is a no-no, and men agreed with 15% saying they expect partners to open their purses or at least offer half.

Delving into the time-consuming task of getting ready for a date, over a third of Brits (36%) say they need up to an hour to look their best, while 1 in 5 Brits take a whopping three hours to get ready for a date.

Interestingly, the research revealed that women take an hour on average to get date night ready, compared to only 40 minutes for the men.

Looking into the secret to life-long coupling, it was revealed that more than half (59%) of Brits say honesty is the best policy, closely followed by laughter (53%).

Interestingly, it is men who are the secret cuddlers with 35% wanting displays of affection in their relationships, compared to only 1 in 3 women.

Lou Hickey, Senior Marketing Communications Manager at One4all Gift Cards, commented: “It’s clear that love is all around us and many of us are looking for the secret to unlock the perfect relationship.

“Strong values like honesty, and keeping relationships fun with laughter have topped the list, with spontaneity and gestures also revealed as the way to our hearts. While roses, chocolates and jewellery are great gifts, a One4all Gift Card is the perfect present with choices at a wide variety of retailers. It’s also perfect if your partner is tricky to buy for!”

When it comes to deciding what to do on dates, Brits were clear on what topped their lists:

Brits Top Ten Favourite Dates:

Going out for dinner (51%)
Going out for drinks or cocktails (32%)
Outdoor activities including walks or hikes (23%)
Staying in and relaxing together (20%)
Trying out something new together (17%)
Cinema trips (16%)
A night away somewhere romantic (13%)
Embracing culture with a museum trip or visit to an art gallery (11%)
Enjoying live music at a gig or a concert (9%)
Having a date with a group of friends or family (8%)

The One4all Gift Card be spent in more than 55,000 stores across the UK and can be loaded with anything from £10 to £120. It is easy to buy from your local Post Office, Tesco, selected Morrisons, Co-op, Sainsburys, and Iceland supermarkets nationwide, as well as online at one4all.com