Happy Relationships
Countryside relationships last longer...although couples are more likely to cheat 61% of us have got frisky outdoors We are shunning city hot-shots for fabulous farmers One in four find love with the help of friends and family Cinema and meal is the best way to woo.
Country folk claim to have happier relationships than city dwellers – even though or perhaps because, more of them have cheated or would cheat on their partners if they didn’t get caught, a survey conducted by Momentum Pictures to mark the DVD and Blu-ray release of countryside comedy Tamara Drewe reveals.
Cheating on your spouse
When questioned, more than one fifth (21%) of all countryside habitants said that they would consider cheating on their partner if there was no way of getting caught – compared to just 16% of urbanites. 23% of country folk have already cheated compared to only 15% of city dwellers. Some would say that unsurprisingly men are the worst culprits, with 20% of men admitting that they have already cheated on their spouses compared to just 12% of women overall.
A spokesperson for Momentum Pictures says: “It’s a surprise that countryside residents are more likely to cheat on their partners as you would imagine the chattering nature of rural areas to deter people, but as the philandering characters in Tamara Drewe show, nothing is sacred”.
Sex and the country
There must be something in the air – 46% of Brits overall claim fresh air makes them amorous with a total of 61% of us admitting to having sex in the great outdoors. Broken down, that’s two thirds (66%) of country folk and 51% of city habitants.
Notably, you’re more likely to get frisky outdoors if you’re married rather than just dating or indeed single; 65% of married couples have headed outdoors for sex compared to just 46% of all singletons.
Secrets of longevity and a successful marriage
Countryside dwellers are in the happiest of relationships. Overall just 8% of country folk are unhappy in their relationships as opposed to a whopping 21% of city dwellers - a gloomy figure for one in five urban relationships.
Where specifically should you move to if you want your marriage to last? Rural areas in the East Midlands have the highest spread of blissful couples with a staggering 95% claiming they are content in their relationships. Where to avoid? Cities in Scotland scored the lowest with 74% admitting they are happy with their other half.
Countryside couples can also expect a longer lasting relationship with almost two thirds (62%) of relationships passing the 5+ year mark, compared with just 42% of relationships in the city lasting more than 5 years.
Dating
When it comes to the dating rituals of these two groups, finding ‘the one’ throws up surprising similarities. Both country and city folk are more likely to find their future partner through friends and family (24% vs. 31% vise a vise). Finding love online is also paving the way for love, with more than one in ten (12% country folk and 11% urbanites) using the internet to find romance.
It’s a simple date as opposed to an expensive night out that gets our love juices flowing – only 11% (the lowest of all respondents) of the UK like the idea of a date at a trendy bar and swanky restaurant. The cinema followed by a meal gets the biggest thumbs up across the UK, with a third of the population (33%) citing this as their perfect date.
Ironically, it seems that urbanites are cottoning onto the many benefits of a rural romance – a staggering 74% of female urbanites prefer someone who is practical in the great outdoors as opposed to a city hot-shot, just like the type of man Tamara Drewe eventually falls for. And men? City men are also inclined to be bowled over by women at ease with nature, with 68% preferring a fun girl who likes to be outdoors rather than a city go-getter.
Momentum Pictures spokesperson adds: “Who would have thought that so many would take to the outdoors to find love and keep the spark alive? Maybe that’s why the majority of country folk claim to be so happy, and herein is the secret of a happy relationship!”