11 Feb, 2026 | Admin | No Comments
From dinners and spas to trips abroad –shop last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts under £100
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Left your Valentine’s shopping a bit late? No need to panic, as this week’s Metro Deals column is all about snapping up a last-minute gift that won’t break the bank.
It’s easy to panic and spend a fortune when you leave grabbing a gift to the last moment, but these unmissable experiences all come in at under £100, meaning you can still impress them without blowing the budget.
In fact, these offers start at just £11.99 for two people – ideal if you’re looking for a smaller token or simply want to spend a bit less this year.
Better yet, they can all be delivered straight to your inbox, meaning you can secure a brilliant gift in seconds – perfect for pressies in a hurry.
Think romantic dinners, adrenaline-fuelled days out, pampering spa sessions, unforgettable concerts and even mini getaways. No matter their love language, there’s something to match.
Best of Metro Deals
Get exclusive discounts with Metro Deals – save on getaways and spa days. Powered by Wowcher
Bannatyne Spa
Spa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco — save up to 57% off.
Other deals
Mystery Escape
Hotel stay with return flights from as low as £92pp — save on worldwide holiday packages.
Beach Retreat (Lanzarote)
4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights — save up to 58%.
UK Getaway
4* Radisson Blu Durham stay with breakfast, spa access & late checkout — save 60% off.
Drive Supercars
3–12 lap supercar driving experiences from £16.99 — save up to 65%.
If you’re looking to fill your evening with delicious food, then the two-course dining deal at Vicinity at The Tower Hotel should be on your radar.
Costing well under £70, this fantastic dining offer includes a delicious two-course meal for two and a glass of bubbly each, allowing you to enjoy each other’s company with a stunning view of Tower Bridge.
Rather kick back with a trip to the spa? Whether you’re after a treatment-filled spa break or a unique Hammam experience for two, you’ll find it all and more for under £100 in our curated selection.
Ready to find the perfect last-minute gift? Explore our best last-minute Valentine’s Day gifts under £100 below.
Metro x Wowcher – This Week’s Top Deals
4* Marrakech City Break with Central Riad Stay, Camel Tour, Dinner & Return Flights
Jet off to Marrakech with this unmissable deal, set to make a fantastic Valentine's surprise and coming in at well under £100 per person.
This two, three or four-night 4* Riad stay in the heart of Marrakech includes breakfast, an Agafay Desert Sunset, Camel Ride and dinner excursion, with return flights included in the price.
Vicinity at The Tower Hotel: 2 Course Dining & Bubbly For 2 – Stunning River Thames Views
Score a delicious dinner for two at the top-rated Vicinity at The Tower Hotel for just £66.99 in this tasty offer, perfect if an unforgettable evening is at the top of your lust list.
You'll enjoy a two course dinner with a glass of bubbly each included, with plenty of delicious options ranging from steak and ale pie to sirloin steak, all set amongst a stunning view of Tower Bridge and The Shard.
Hammam Spa Day Experience for 2 with Body Scrub, Mask or Massage, Spa Access & Nibbles Upgrade
Indulge in a 60-minute oriental Hammam spa day with treatments and full spa access for two people in this unmissable K Hammam Spa offer – now just £72.
Romantic and memorable, your session will include an exfoliating body scrub and mask, with sauna and steam room access available throughout your visit.
Batman (1989) In Concert Performed By A Live Orchestra: 6 UK Locations
Are they a huge Batman fan? This affordable and unique experience is sure to blow them away.
Enjoy a thrilling full screening of Tim Burton’s iconic Batman (1989), starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson, with Danny Elfman's legendary score performed live with a 68-piece professional symphony orchestra. Take your pick of six UK locations.
2 Luxe or standard ODEON Cinema Tickets 93 Locations, Nationwide
If you're after a smaller treat then this ODEON cinema offer is the perfect choice – entitling you to two tickets to a movie of your choice for just £11.99.
Whether you're after a tear-jerker like Hamnet or have been wanting to watch Timothée Chalamet in Marty Supreme, this is the perfect way to do it for (a lot) less.
4* Krakow City Break: Award-Winning, Central Hotel with Breakfast & Return Flights Included
Jet off to Krakow from just £82.99 with this unmissable getaway deal, an excellent way to show them how much you care without breaking the bank.
On your two, three or four night trip you'll stay at the central and award-winning 4* 1891 Garni Hotel with breakfast and return flights included, so all you have to do is decide where to enjoy in the iconic city first.
Turtle Bay Caribbean Dining: Two-Courses, Sides & Cocktails for 2
Snap up a taste of the Caribbean for less with this unbeatable Turtle Bay dining offer, leaving the two of you fed and watered for just £42.
This deal entitles you to a two-course dinner with a side and a cocktail each, letting you dive into Caribbean classics including jerk grills, curries, salads and plant-based favourites.
4* Woodbury Castle, Exeter Spa Stay, Prosecco, Spa Access & Breakfast for 2
Enjoy a stunning spa getaway for two for under £11 with this unmissable deal at the 4* Woodbury Castle, a trip that'll have you enjoying a relaxing night in the heart of Devon.
This on-sale deal entitles you to a luxury spa break for two at 4* Woodbury Park Hotel near Exeter, with breakfast, a glass of Prosecco each and full leisure access included.
Supercar & Muscle Car Driving Experience – 3 to 12 Laps at 18 UK Locations
Know someone who'd love to put the pedal to the metal in a muscle car? This unmissable experience allows you to choose from a three to twelve lap driving experience in your dream supercar or muscle car, with the chance to drive up to three different vehicles.
Take the wheel of iconic models such as Lamborghini Gallardo, Ferrari F430, Aston Martin V8 Vantage, Audi R8 V10, Porsche 911 Turbo, Ford Mustang GT V8, Chevrolet Camaro V8 and more.
Bannatyne Spa Day: 3 Mini Treatments, Spa Access, Eye Mask & £25 Vouchers
Enjoy a full spa day at one of Bannatyne Spa's 44 UK locations in this fantastic offer, giving you the chance to enjoy a pampering day of relaxation for under £50.
In this affordable deal you'll enjoy a full spa day with three mini treatments- including mini massages and facials – access to spa facilities, a heated eye mask to take home and £25 in vouchers towards retail and future treatments.
There’s still time…
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11 Feb, 2026 | Admin | No Comments
The sign that made me realise at 21 that I had to put mum into a care home
It was the shoes in the salad that indicated something was going seriously wrong for Laura Starkie.
The mum of two in her 50s had been struggling with her memory, so she saw her GP who told her she was suffering from menopausal brain fog.
‘She’d go to make a cup of tea or coffee and she’d pour the water in the canister with the tea bags, rather than in the cup,’ says her daughter, Jenny Molloy. ‘I didn’t think anything of it at the time – I’ve put orange juice on my cereal before. But that was a clear sign that something wasn’t right.’
There were other clues, including a block of cheese with a whole bite taken out, and half-eaten yoghurts in the fridge, all out of character for Jenny’s usually meticulously organised mum.
Good at maths, Laura, from Heywood in Lancashire, had worked at the Post Office, then took a checkout job at Asda.
‘Tilling up at the end of the day, always had to be spot-on, and it always was. But when Asda noticed errors, they moved her into the clothes section,’ says Jenny, 34. ‘They were really good with her, but when she started putting the shoes in the fruit and veg section, they got occupational health involved and my dad said we needed a second opinion from the doctors.’
After a brain scan and being seen at a memory clinic, Laura was diagnosed at 54 with early onset Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia in under-65s. Jenny was 17 at the time and her sister, Barbara, was 14.
‘My dad sat me down and told me and we both had a cry,’ says Jenny, now a business consultant in Rawtenstall, Lancashire.
‘It was bizarre, because I was studying psychology at college and we were doing a unit on dementia.
‘My tutor told the class it’d be quite sensitive, so if we had grandparents suffering from this, we were OK to step out of the room. I sat there and thought, “This is happening to my mum. It isn’t right”.’
Initially Laura refused to accept the diagnosis. The family contacted the Alzheimer’s Society, which sent a representative to see how the family could be supported at home. But Laura would get up and leave the room at the mere mention of the word ‘dementia’.
‘Mum was angry it was happening to her,’ says Jenny. ‘She was a few years in by that point and her personality was starting to change. When it came up in conversation, she’d shoot it down right away and would refuse to speak to this poor lady who had come to help her.’
How to sign up to our 2026 Metro Lifeline challenge
This year Metro.co.uk is proudly supporting Alzheimer’s Society for our 2026 Lifeline campaign.
On Saturday 13 June 2026, we’re inviting our readers to take on an incredible challenge: an epic hike through the stunning Cotswolds countryside — all to help support people living with dementia.
Choose your distance: 25km, 50km or 100km.
With registration starting at just £15, and fundraising targets of £150 (25km), £225 (50km) or £330 (100km), you can push yourself as far as you want — while helping fund vital support and research.
Whether you sign up solo or take on the challenge with friends, you’ll be part of Team Lifeline, with plenty of guidance, encouragement and support along the way. Every mile you walk and every pound you raise will help make a real difference for people facing the daily realities of dementia.
For our ‘everything you need to know’ guide, click here – or if you’re already raring to sign up, click here.
Laura had to quit her job and there was a gradual reversal in the mother-daughter role as Jenny and Barbara started to take care of her. When Jenny was 21, their dad left. Afterwards, Laura’s condition quickly deteriorated.
Jenny had planned on going to university but felt she couldn’t leave Barbara and her mum. She enrolled on a full-time apprenticeship instead, while her sister took her GCSEs and A-levels.
Laura’s brother Ronnie and sister-in-law Cath, and sister Rosa, visited regularly, helping as much as they could, while the daughters took on all the household responsibilities, sorting out the mortgage payments using their mum’s pensions and benefits, and making sure she wasn’t left at home alone for long periods.
Meanwhile, Laura’s personality changed further.
‘She would get aggressive. Not physically, but nasty to my sister if she was asking her to get dressed or brush her teeth. She’d swear at her, which was tough as I had never seen my mum like that before. She’d always been a loving and friendly person,’ says Jenny.
‘At other times she’d seem quite content. She had this stuffed Percy Pig toy from M&S and she liked to fiddle with it. But then when she learned to let herself out of the house, things got difficult. Like a child, you couldn’t take your eyes off her for a second.’
Laura would disappear up the street, or wake the whole house in the middle of the night, thinking it was daytime. When she became doubly incontinent, Jenny knew she and her sister could no longer cope alone.
Aged 58, Laura went into residential care and the family home was sold. The sisters were just 21 and 17.
Jenny moved in with her boyfriend, who is now her husband, while Barbara moved in with her aunt and uncle.
The care Laura received was ‘amazing’, Jenny says. ‘I can’t thank them enough, because they were so fantastic with her from day one and they looked after her so well.
‘But leaving my mum on her own that first day was just horrendous. I couldn’t believe I was doing it. I felt so guilty. It was the worst feeling in the world.’
Jenny and Barbara would visit their mum after work and college. Over the years, Laura lost the ability to talk and became bedridden.
‘The last stages of Alzheimer’s and dementia are something I wouldn’t wish on anybody,’ says Jenny.
‘It was heartbreaking because she couldn’t get up and wander about like she used to. And then it progressed. She used to shut her eyes all the time. She couldn’t talk, but she would make small noises. She could smile, and laugh, but you couldn’t hear her voice.’
Laura began struggling to swallow and was in and out of hospital with infections. After two hellish years of hospital trips and recovery, one night in February 2023, after Laura, then 65, had seemingly recovered in hospital from another illness, Jenny got a call to say she’d passed away.
Alzheimer’s didn’t just take Jenny’s mum. It also took the years when Jenny and Barbara should have been carefree but instead were worrying about carers, mortgage payments and taking responsibility for a mother who was slowly being stolen away.
‘I’d give anything to have my mum now that I have my own children,’ says Jenny. ‘Mum came to my wedding but she was already ill. She never saw my sister get married, or have her daughter. Barbara is pregnant again and that’s the time you really want to share with your mum.’
The sisters now take part in regular walks to raise money and support for Alzheimer’s Society, through which they met other young carers.
More on dementia and Alzheimer's
‘With mum, we just tried to enjoy the nice moments as much as we could,’ says Jenny.
‘We were so stressed and upset a lot of the time, but there were so many conversations and moments of laughter that we really held on to. We would sit and watch The X Factor on Saturday nights and mum’s legs would be jigging about to the music.
‘It’s those little things you have to hold on to, remember and look back on. Those glimmers of joy.’
For dementia support and information visit Alzheimer’s Society here.
11 Feb, 2026 | Admin | No Comments
No7 have just added three new Future Renew products – our beauty expert gives her honest verdict
Metro journalists select and curate the products that feature on our site. If you make a purchase via links on this page we will earn commission – learn more
There’s no doubt that beauty brand No7 has been heavily invested in peptide science for almost 20 years, from the launch of Protect & Perfect in 2007 to their latest fly-off-the-shelf Future Renew range almost two years ago.
The latter launched with four core products – day and night creams, eye cream and a damage reversal serum – which all contained a brand new blend of peptides (or proteins) that had been shown to reverse visible signs of skin damage.
And, like its predecessor, it caused much chatter – a product was bought every two seconds on launch day and became Boots’ best-selling beauty launch to date.
I wrote about it at the time and the serum especially was one of those products that people just loved. I lost count of the number of people who told me, ‘I bought it because I read your piece, but I’m buying it again because it really works.’
Perhaps it’s not surprising then, given the massive trend we’re seeing for high-performance body care, that today, No7 are rolling out three new Future Renew body products containing the same high performing blend of peptides — at the same concentration that you’ll find them in the original damage-reversal serum.
Best of Metro Deals
Get exclusive discounts with Metro Deals – save on getaways and spa days. Powered by Wowcher
Bannatyne Spa
Spa day for two with treatments, lunch & prosecco — save up to 57% off.
Other deals
Mystery Escape
Hotel stay with return flights from as low as £92pp — save on worldwide holiday packages.
Beach Retreat (Lanzarote)
4* Lanzarote beach holiday with flights — save up to 58%.
UK Getaway
4* Radisson Blu Durham stay with breakfast, spa access & late checkout — save 60% off.
Drive Supercars
3–12 lap supercar driving experiences from £16.99 — save up to 65%.
‘Part of the decision to launch body products was driven by consumers and our in-store advisors. As soon as they saw what the original serum could do for their face, they wanted to do the same for their body,’ explains Dr Eleanor Bradley, Science Credentialing Manager at No7. ‘But, on the science side, if we think about reversing the visible signs of ageing, we know that those signs are present on the body as well.’
And two of the areas where these signs frequently show up are on the hands — often neglected when it comes to daily sun protection, and constantly being washed and dried — and on the neck and décolleté — similarly often forgotten about when applying skincare to the face but frequently subject to the same sort of damage — and the skin here tends to be thinner than on the face exacerbating the problem.
What’s new
As a result, the brand have created an SPF 15 Hand Cream (£17.95 for 75ml), a Neck & Décolletage Serum (£44.95 for 50ml) and a Body Serum (£34.95 for 200ml) — for reference, the original Future Renew serum is £47.95 for 50ml — so what’s the difference?
‘The skin on the neck and décolleté isn’t just thinner, it also has less collagen, less fibrillin [proteins that make skin look and feel plump] and fewer oil glands than the face,’ Dr Bradley tells Metro. ‘So we’ve added ingredients to make it more nourishing — more niacinamide, argan oil — and a botanical which can help with brightening, as we know that pigmentation is a key concern in this area.’
Similarly the hand cream is thicker and more nourishing (although it does contain slightly less of the peptide blend, but this is probably balanced out by the fact that you’re going to reapply it more frequently than you would apply the other products) while the body serum is more of a gel-cream.
All three of the products have very user-friendly textures. The hand cream feels nourishing and creamy but doesn’t leave hands feeling greasy, and both the neck serum and the body serum melt into the skin — although I prefer the dryer finish of the body serum, as the neck one felt tackier for longer.
It’s No7 so, as you might expect, they’ve conducted a range of studies including consumer studies and clinical studies. (meaning the results are based on objective measurements and observations, not just on women saying they thought their skin felt better).
One of the most interesting was on the body serum. 35 women aged 47 to 70 with visible signs of ageing were asked to apply the product twice a day to just one arm and one leg, meaning their other arm and leg were the control. After two months of use, the treated side showed significant improvements in texture, dryness and fine lines.
My verdict
So would I – a beauty expert for more than 20 years, who has tried over 3000 products in my career – use them?
I think the hand cream is a good option if you don’t already use one with broad spectrum sun protection — although as the peptides are at a lower concentration and I’ve not seen any data on the results I don’t know if it’s worth what is a fairly hefty price for a hand cream.
As for the neck serum, I know Metro’s Deputy Editor Claie has been crying out for this product, but personally, I’ve never been convinced by the need for a separate product.
In the words of skincare queen, Caroline Hirons, just ‘take it to the t*ts’ – i.e. apply your facial products down your neck and onto the décolleté.
But while I’m usually pretty lazy about body products, the results of the body serum might just convince me to up my game. And I know No7 will hate me for saying this, but I’d be tempted to use the body serum (which is significantly cheaper than the face serum — it works out at 17.5p/ml compared to 96p/ml — but contains many of the same active ingredients) from toe to t*ts to the top of my head.
Obviously buyer beware here — if you have very oily or sensitive facial skin, putting a body product on it might not be wise, but for me, admittedly a bit of a beauty renegade, I’d gamble for the sake of getting clinically proven anti-ageing technology onto my face at a fraction of the price of the original.
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