Scunthorpe voted the least romantic place in the UK

Scunthorpe voted the least romantic place in the UK

• Town boasts the UK's largest steel processing centre
• Bradford and Blackpool were second and third least romantic destinations
• The Lake District was named as top spot for romance

By Toni Jones

PUBLISHED: 09:12 EST, 6 February 2013 | UPDATED: 19:13 EST, 6 February 2013

Looking out of the window at a bleak winter’s sky, you would be forgiven for struggling to think of one particularly romantic place in Britain.

But researchers have pinpointed the place that is least likely to get our pulses racing.

Sorry, Scunthorpe, the title goes to you. The North Lincolnshire town, built on iron and steel, beat Bradford and Blackpool into second and third place, with 21 per cent of the vote.

The Lincolnshire town of Scunthorpe has been named as the most unromantic place in the UK

In contrast, 30 per cent of Brits voted the Lake District and its captivating, poetry-inspiring landscapes as the best place for a passionate, romantic getaway.

Scunthorpe, situated on flat plains, didn’t stand a chance against wildly beautiful Cornwall and the picturesque Cotswolds, voted the second and third most romantic places.

Birmingham and London were also among the most unromantic destinations.

The poll, by getaway booking site Hotels.com, was released in the lead up to Valentine's Day and asked participants to vote for the most and least romantic places in the country.

Scunthorpe, located in North Lincolnshire and listed as the United Kingdom's largest steel processing centre, was voted the most unromantic place to visit in the entire UK.

The Lake District was followed by Cornwall with 13 per cent of the vote and the Cotswolds with 11 per cent as the second and third most romanic places to visit.

On the other end, Bradford was voted as the second most unromantic place, followed by Blackpool, and Birmingham.

Couples hoping for a romantic getaway this Valentine's Day should avoid Scunthorpe

Opinion on the UK's capital was divided; nine per cent rated London the most romantic city which saw it come fourth in the list, however a separate six per cent deemed it the least romantic, meaning it also appeared in the top five least popular destinations for a Valentine's getaway.

A spokesman for Hotels.com said: 'Those looking for love to blossom this Valentine's Day should maybe take heed of this recommendation and consider whisking their loved ones away to the Lakes or Cotswolds this February.

'We hope our list will prove inspirational to those looking to plan a last minute romantic - or maybe unromantic - getaway.'

SCUNTHORPE ... THE GATEWAY TO HULL

As well as being the country's largest steel processing centre Scunthorpe also likes to be known as the 'Indust rial Garden Town' and is twinned with the German town of Luneberg and Clamart in France. But that is where the glamour ends.

As a town built around the steel industry, Scunthorpe's ecomony has been in steady decline since the major ironworks closed and the town has struggled to develop since the 1980s.

The local labour force comprises mostly semi-skilled and unskilled labour and in the 2001 census 19.3% of the working age population were economically inactive

But a North Lincolnshire Council spokesman leapt to the town's defence this afternoon, as it was named the least romantic place in Britain, telling local news site This Is Scunthorpe: 'We feel the perception is a little unfair. With internationally renowned restaurants such as Winteringham Fields, stately homes such as Normanby Hall and a Championship Golf course and spa resort from Q-Hotels on our doorstep, Scunthorpe really is a hidden gem.

'Where else within a 5-minute drive of the industrial centre can you be in open countryside?

'Tourism is worth £167 million to North Lincolnshire's local economy and with over 2.6 million attraction day visits to North Lincolnshire in 2012 we are bucking the national trend.

'We'd like to welcome readers to our Great Attractions fair being held in our purpose built £15m entertainment venue the Baths Hall on 17 March to see what the area has to offer.'

Picturesque scenery in both the Lake District (left) and Cornwall (right) made them top choices for romance

MOST ROMANTIC UK DESTINATIONS

1: Lake District
2: Cornwall
3: The Cotswolds
4: London
5: Stratford-Upon-Avon
6: Edinburgh
7: York
8: Devon
9: Oxford
10: Brighton

LEAST ROMANTIC UK DESTINATIONS

1: Scunthorpe
2: Bradford
3: Blackpool
4: Birmingham
5: London
6: Coventry
7: Dundee
8: Newport
9: Nottingham
10: Cardiff