The region’s most iconic tourist attractions - including Bristol’s very own SS Great Britain - woke up to their own Valentine’s surprise this morning (14 February) in the shape of giant six-foot Love Heart sweets.
A super-sized version of the classic confectionary, famed worldwide for their cheeky romantic messages, was hand delivered to destinations across Wales and the South West. In a cheeky reference to the SS Great Britain’s place in history as the first iron steamer to cross the Atlantic, the sweet’s message declared: “Steamy!”
Image: Isambard Kingdom Brunel with GWR gateline team leader Matt Hughes.
The tasty tokens of love were accompanied by a mysterious letter expressing admiration for what they – and their owners and staff – do for the region.
Addressed “To the South West on Valentine’s Day” the accompanying letter declares love for the region's stunning landscapes and the valuable social and economic role the tourism industry plays.
“We just can’t keep it in any longer,” it gushed. “We love you. Truly, madly, deeply… How could we not? You are breathtakingly beautiful. Your rolling hills, golden beaches, wild moors, and ancient towns and cities stir hearts and minds.
"It’s not just your beauty that has us smitten – it’s what you do. You are the beating heart of tourism and leisure, where visitors come to escape and explore the extraordinary. You create jobs, fuel local businesses and unite communities – you make this region irresistible."
A source close to this publication has revealed the secret admirer to be none other than train operator Great Western Railway, who released an open love letter to the tourism industry across Wales and the South West on its social media channels.
GWR Sales and Marketing Director, Amanda Burns, said:
“We know just how much work and effort is put in by our tourism partners that we wanted to share our love for them and reaffirm our promise to keep connecting people to their wonders. Let’s celebrate what makes this region extraordinary, and let’s ensure its future shines as brightly as its past.”
Working with iconic sweet maker Swizzels for this grand gesture, GWR hopes to underscore its love for the region and the joy of connecting people to its treasures.
Sarah-Louise Heslop, Head of Marketing for Swizzels, said:
“We are excited to see visitors to the British landmarks sharing photos with the iconic Love Hearts and their fun messages. Love Hearts have been made in the UK for over 70 years and they remain the perfect way to ‘Share the Love’.”
Four iconic locations received an oversized Love Hearts sweet, each featuring a custom message:
- Smeaton’s Tower, Plymouth: You Shine
- SS Great Britain, Bristol: Steamy!
- Cardiff Castle: For Keeps
- Oxford Castle & Prison: Heart Stealer
Kathryn Davis, Managing Director at Visit West, said:
“It’s very exciting to have the 6ft iconic love heart showing some love to Bristol today. GWR connects our region and so many of its key destinations with visitors from within the UK and beyond, and so this way of sharing the love with our visitor economy in one of Bristol’s most iconic and romantic destinations is a perfect way to start the day.
"The GWR networks connects Bristol and Bath with each other and the Somerset coastline at Weston-super-Mare as well as other iconic visitor destinations like Stonehenge and Cardiff, making it really easy to stay in our region longer and explore further.”
Last year alone, 55 million leisure travellers relied on GWR to carry them to the South West’s attractions, a figure GWR proudly embraces as part of its ongoing commitment to the region it serves.
GWR closes the letter with a heartfelt pledge:
“We’re going to keep on making journeys greener, more reliable, and more comfortable, working with you to showcase all that you offer, inviting more people to visit, to stay longer, and return again and again.”
A Grand Love Story Premieres on TV
In the spirit of all great love stories, the letter has its own postcript. GWR is set to premiere a grand adventure celebrating the South West on primetime ITV, starring none other than the Famous Five. To find out more, keep an eye on our social channels from 3 March and share the love @gwruk
As GWR so poignantly put it: “Every great love story deserves a grand gesture.”
The love letter from GWR reads:
To Wales and the South West on Valentine’s Day,
We need to say something. It’s been on our minds for a while now, and we just can’t keep it in any longer. We love you. Truly, madly, deeply…
How could we not? You are breathtakingly beautiful. Your rolling hills, golden beaches, wild moors, and ancient towns and cities stir hearts and minds.
But it’s not just your beauty that has us smitten – it’s what you do. You are the beating heart of tourism and leisure, where visitors come to escape and explore the extraordinary. You create jobs, fuel local businesses and unite communities – you make this region irresistible.
And the 55 million leisure travellers who chose our train services to get to you last year agree. We are proud to be part of your story. We’ve carried dreamers, adventurers and holidaymakers to your doorstep for generations. Every journey, every ticket, every train connects people to the places that matter.
Our partnership has transformed the way people experience the South West and Wales, creating memories that last a lifetime. And we’re going to keep on making journeys greener, more reliable, and more comfortable, working with you to showcase all that you offer, inviting more people to visit, to stay longer, and return again and again.
Love, GWR
PS: Every great love story deserves a grand gesture… ours is so grand that we'll be shouting it from the rooftops on primetime ITV. Join us (and the Famous Five) as we celebrate the South West and Wales in a brand-new adventure that will span TV, cinema, and radio - to name just a few!
To find out more, keep an eye on our social channels from 3 March and share the love @gwruk
Love Hearts is a registered trademark of Swizzels Matlow Limited and is reproduced with permission.
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