This time last year we were basking in a heat wave as we got swept away with the excitement of England potentially winning the World Cup. This June, the only thing we are in danger of getting swept away by is floodwater as we have experienced much higher than average rainfall for this time of year. Whilst all this rain is getting in the way of getting out and about, for many businesses the consequences of all of this extra rainfall is more serious, hitting their profits hard.
As well as floods causing chaos on roads and disrupting businesses that rely on deliveries, a number of large events have been cancelled due to the bad weather. The sport industry has suffered, with the Isle of Man TT being forced to postpone a day. The horse racing was also affected, with meetings being cancelled, which will have hurt the bookies.
According to Springboard Retail who monitors retail activity, the number of people going to shops is down by over 5% compared to this time last year. This is already a scary time for high street businesses with numerous big businesses recently going into bankruptcy.
Festival season is underway and already the rain has been causing big problems at big festivals like Download, with many music fans choosing to go home rather than tackle the extreme muddy conditions. As well as being a problem for the organisers of the festivals, all of the independent catering companies will have taken a huge hit. Many of the festival catering businesses rely upon the increased trade they can make in the summer months at festivals and other outdoor events, so this rainfall will have damaged many smaller businesses.
With just a few weeks until Wireless Festival and a number of other big music events, organisers and catering company owners will be desperate to see an improvement in the weather over the next few weeks and months.
The weather outlook is not overly confident of improved weather, with BBC Weather expecting it to be dry in early August but with wetter weather later. Temperatures are forecast to rise in the south, which should be music to the ears of the festival organisers and retail companies in that part of England.
If you are tired of all of the rain, now could be the time to head off into warmer climates and book a holiday. Instead of wading through the muddy festivals of the UK, why not head to the US for 4 July celebrations and enjoy the warmer weather of somewhere like LA?
When you are planning a trip to the US, you will need to apply for an ESTA at if you do not have another type of visa for travel authorisation. Applying for an ESTA takes a few minutes to do but you should send your application at least 72 hours before you are due to fly.
