This Valentine’s Day will be the Red Dragon Centre’s 25th Valentine’s Day and to celebrate, the Centre’s team has been speaking to some of the customers who have found love there over the last quarter of a century.
Tara Beverstock (34) and her husband David (36) went on their first date to the Centre back in 2002 while still pupils at Cardiff’s Llanedeyrn High School. The couple went bowling and for a meal and must have struck it lucky because 20 years and four children later, they’re still together.
Tara said, “Even though it’s a while ago, I remember that we spent all day there. We were only 15 but we must have found plenty to keep us entertained as I don’t think we left until 8pm!
“We’ve been back to the Centre a lot over the years, it’s a special place for us. We go back for our kids’ birthdays, I even celebrated my 30th birthday there and took my youngest to the Bay Tavern to meet Santa before Christmas.”
Nathan Cox (39) actually proposed to his wife Rhian (38) in the Red Dragon Centre on the anniversary of their first date. Nathan and Rhian, from Fairwater, decided on the Hollywood Bowl for their date, hoping that doing something fun would be a great way to break the ice. It certainly was and when Nathan decided it was time to pop the question he knew that the Centre was the perfect place.
Nathan said, “I had this great plan to put the engagement ring in one of the 10p machines in the Hollywood Bowl for Rhian to ‘win’ when we went there to celebrate our 3rd anniversary in 2016. In the end, I decided instead to slip the ring box into the bit where the coins come out and let Rhian pick it out from there.
“The first time she won money, Rhian didn’t even notice the box! The second time, she spotted it and when she opened it there was a little heart that I’d made in there saying, ‘Will you marry me?’. Luckily she said ‘yes’ as our friends and family were waiting round the corner to come and celebrate with us!”
It was bowling that started the ball rolling for Elisha Harris and her fiancé Lydia (both 26) too. Back in 2016 the Llanishen-based couple went for a burger and a bowl and six years on, they’re still going strong.
Elisha said, “We love the Bay, there’s always something to do there and because it’s where we went for our first date, it always feels really special. We actually got engaged in the Bay in September 2021 and I’m sure that we will continue making lovely memories there for years to come.”
One couple who didn’t rely on finding love in the lanes was Carl (40) and Claire Kendrick (41) from Pontprennau who went to see the film Couples Retreat in the Odeon in 2009. Unfortunately, the couple sat in the wrong seats only to be questioned by one of the ushers.
Carl said, “It was so embarrassing, I remember the usher asking to check our tickets and us both being mortified! Luckily it gave us something to laugh about and we’ve been married for 10 years this year.”
The Red Dragon Centre asked people to come forward and share their romantic stories as it celebrates two incredible milestones this year, its 25thanniversary and its 50 millionth visitor.
Emma Constantinou, marketing manager at the Red Dragon Centre, said: “When we put out our call for couples who had found love in the Red Dragon Centre, I never expected that so many romantic stories would start with bowling! It’s obviously a great way to break the ice before heading to one of the restaurants for a romantic meal.
“I’ve loved reading people’s stories so far and I’m sure this is just the tip of the iceberg, there must be hundreds of couples who’ve had special moments here over the years.
“People can still get in touch with their stories and they can either contact us on social media or email us their story to [email protected].”
