Announcements

NORTH Kent is home to some of England’s most doting lovers, as seen by recent figures released by a jewellers.

H. Samuel places its store in Greenhithe’s Bluewater shopping centre as seventh in the country for selling the most engagement rings.

It looked at the number of engagement rings sold across its 343 stores and website in the past year to compile its figures.

News Shopper spoke to relationship counsellor Mary Russell, who has been a counsellor for 11 years in Greenhithe, about what sparks people to pop the question in north Kent.

Ms Russell said: “The area causes romance to flourish “There are better living conditions here- people have the choice of the sea side to go or near the river- it’s really pretty and puts people at ease.”

The most popular ring of choice is a white gold diamond solitaire ring with either four or six claws, averaging around £800 in price.

According to H.Samuel’s figures, white gold is the most popular metal for engagement rings, with 60 per cent of rings being made from the metal.

It also found Valentine's Day as the second most popular time to propose after Christmas.

Ms Russell says residents in north Kent may have more money to spend on rings as the cost of living can be cheaper.

She added: “There aren’t such bad unemployment rates, so that helps if people want to get married.”

The store in London’s Oxford Street won first place in the country for its engagement ring sales last year, with Southport in Lancashire selling the least.