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Meet Britain's least romantic man - but wife Adria still loves him
By Matt Roper and Kelly Strange 11/02/2010
Some women are treated like royalty on Valentine's Day - romanced with a posh dinner, a luxury holiday or even a teary wedding proposal.
Others have to make do with ropey flowers from a petrol station or a bottle of overpowering perfume.
But they are the lucky ones. Poor Adria Fareham has been married for 40 years to the bloke who proudly claims to be the most unromantic man in Britain.
Miserly Brian has never bought his wife a card. Or a present - unless you count the gardening fork he splashed out on so she could tend the flowers while he watched TV.
The only time that long-suffering Adria put her foot down and demanded a romantic meal out, stingy Brian took her to a roadside truckers' cafe for chips - on a plastic plate. The couple courted in Brian's front room so he didn't miss the footie. Then they married in a town hall ceremony costing £15, with £3 going on Adria's frock.
He refused to pay for a photographer or a disposable camera. And they honeymooned in a SUPERMARKET - shopping for tinned food and soap powder so she could carry on doing his washing.
Not surprisingly, Brian isn't planning anything special on February 14.
SHOCK
Adria says: "Brian has never done a single romantic thing for me.
"It used to bother me and I'd think 'oh, wouldn't it be nice to be sent flowers'. But in the end I've got used to it. Now if he bought me flowers I think I would die of shock.
"Besides, he's always told me that if a man buys flowers for his wife it means he's hiding something and probably having an affair, so I think I'd rather not get any.
"This Valentine's Day will be no different from any other day. Brian will have his ham salad at 6pm and fall asleep on his chair after his beer while I wash the dishes. I won't be getting cards or chocolates - hell would have to freeze over first." But she insists: "He's been a good father and husband who worked hard for 12 hours a day for his family so I can't complain.
"He might be Britain's least romantic man but that's my Brian and I love him. I'm lucky to have him and he's lucky to have me."
The couple, both 60, met at a friend's wedding in 1969 when Brian offered to buy Adria a drink - then came back with a glass of free wine swiped from a table.
She says: "I thought it was a joke, especially as I'd asked for a gin and tonic. But I didn't say anything because I thought he might be short of cash."
Every couple remembers their first date and it would be difficult for Adria to forget her "special day" with Brian - even though she's probably tried.
He invited her round to his house and she got dolled up in her best dress, thinking he might be cooking a romantic meal. But when she arrived, Brian was glued to the TV.
She says: "His team were playing and he didn't want to miss it so we stayed and watched the match. It was boring but Brian made me laugh."
The steel worker's cheeky sense of humour led to more dates - all in his front room next to the television.
"It wasn't the most exciting courtship but he was honest and reliable," remembers Adria. "Some of my friends were getting stood up and messed about but Brian never did anything like that to me."
Adria had always dreamed of a big white wedding and was thrilled when Brian casually told her they would get married. But he insisted on a no-frills bash at Barnsley Town Hall in their hometown.
Adria recalls: "He didn't propose or anything. He just assumed I'd marry him. That was Brian all over. We only had two guests and they were his work mates.
"He didn't want to waste money on a photographer either or even splash out on a camera so we don't have a single picture of our wedding."
HONEYMOON
A few hours after they got home Brian suggested they headed out for the afternoon - shopping. She says: "I never expected to spend my honeymoon buying washing powder and baked beans but that was just like Brian to be practical."
And an unrepentant Brian quips: "The shopping needed to be done. You could say it was nice of me to help her do it."
The couple have three children, Dawn, now 42, Mark, 38 and Stephanie, 29 - but Adria never received any flowers or presents from her husband after giving birth. "He'd come to the hospital, not to see the baby but to ask if I'd be home in time to make his tea," she says cheerily.
The family had an annual week's holiday to Skegness or Cleethorpes but there were still no meals out. Adria made a stand a few years ago and Brian swept her away to a cafe on a dual carriageway.
He says: "I knew pie and chips was one of her favourites. You could also park right outside."
When their children realised how unromantic Brian was, they spent pocket money to buy their mum a card or chocolates on Valentine's Day and pretend it was from Dad.
"I knew it wasn't," says Adria, "but I still thought it was very sweet of them."
Brian isn't afraid to admit that he thinks shopping is for girls and buying cards and flowers is just plain "soft", which is why Adria has given up hoping for a surprise from her stubborn hubby on Valentine's Day - or any other day for that matter.
Now retired, Brian spends most of his time glued to the TV or playing with his five grandchildren while Adria cooks, cleans and gardens.
Doting Adria says: "He'll call me in to turn the TV up if he's forgotten to pick up the control. But I just chuckle because that's my Brian. I even cut his toe nails, and that's real love for you.
"It might sound old-fashioned but it's worked for us all these years and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"He hasn't got a romantic bone in his body but he's a loyal man. We've been together through thick and thin and that's something money can't buy."
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