SIX years ago, on New Year’s Eve, Ervin Valteri met his wife-to-be Emily Tomkys in Maxwell's bar.

A New Year’s kiss set them on the road to romance and today they celebrate Valentine’s Day as a married couple, after tying the knot in 2016.

The duo, who run The Oxford Soap Company in the Covered Market, decided to celebrate their love by combining their surnames.

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Mr Tomkys Valteri, 34, said their shop offers perfect Valentine’s gifts including hand-crafted bars of lavender soap manufactured in Witney and cut to size in the shop.

Oxford Mail:

Mr Tomkys Valteri said: “We have lots of products including soaps, bath salts, lotions and creams that people can buy for Valentine’s Day and throughout the year.

“I started out by riding around Oxford on a bike to sell our soaps and built up a following that way before we opened the shop at the end of last year.

“ I couldn’t do this without Emily - she is the backbone of this business and has been helping me so much.

“I will definitely get her a nice present on Valentine’s Day - perhaps it could be booking her a massage or aromatherapy treatment.

“Maxwell's has a new name now - Hanks - we might go back there at some point but we are both very busy.”

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The Oxford Soap Company is not the only shop in the market to be taking advantage of Valentine’s Day.

Oxford Mail:

Graham MacDonald, who runs iScream gelateria, has opened pop-up store Wicked Chocolate, which has been catering for people guying romantic gifts.

Visit the-oxford-soap-company.myshopify.com