..Sand we’re off!
Millions head to beaches, hotels, bars & shops as the Bank Holiday heats up
DORSET Thousands flock to the beach in Lyme Regis
MORE than 35 million people gave British businesses a boost as they basked in some long-awaited Bank Holiday sunshine yesterday.
Miserable May finally started to sizzle as temperatures soared – with tomorrow expected to be the hottest day of the year so far.
The great weather spelled great news for Covid-hit shops and hospitality venues, as people headed out to eat, drink and spend.
But with more than 11 million Brits predicted to take a break for the first time in months, there was chaos on some roads.
Tens of thousands of people packed coastal resorts yesterday as temperatures rose to 23C in London.
The beach at Lyme Regis, Dorset, was rammed, as was the seafront in Brighton, East Sussex.
In St Anne’s, Lancs, youngsters got to go on donkey rides for the first time in months, while bathers made the most of the sun on the banks of Scotland’s Loch Morlich.
Tomorrow, Manchester and Liverpool are expected to see highs of 24C while on Monday, the south will swelter in temperatures of 25C.
The welcome heat is making us thirsty, too. Drinkers are expected to splash out on 62 million pints of beer.
And 48 million burgers and 36 million sausages are set to be barbecued, according to Tesco.
The UK’s 70,000 newly-reopened hotels, B&Bs and Airbnbs all reported a last-minute rush of half-term bookings. The award-winning Fleece Inn, in Bretforton, Worcs, is already fully booked.
Manager Tash Daly, 42, said: “There’s not a spare seat to be had and we’re getting through the barrels fast.
“We’ve been really well supported through the wind and the rain in May, but it’s great to see the sun finally shining and people having fun.”
There was bad news for some drivers, however, with major tailbacks on the M25, the M1 and routes to Devon and Cornwall – and one motorist made it to the West Country to have their car washed out to sea.
Pictures of waves crashing over what appeared to be a VW 4x4 were yesterday posted online, after the car slid down the slipway at Trevaunance Cove, Cornwall.
But overall, experts said the sunny Bank Holiday was a welcome boost.
Prof Joshua Bamfield, of the Centre for Retail Research, said: “It’s half-term, the weather is brilliant and people can’t go abroad so it should be a good weekend.”
But pub bosses remained cautious, claiming that spending will still be £80million down on pre-pandemic holidays because of social distancing.
Emma McClarkin, of the British Beer and Pub Association, said: “Pubs only have a fighting chance of recovering from more than a year of lockdowns and restrictions if they can fully reopen.”
Retail and hospitality bosses are urging the Government to stick to June 21 for the next stage out of lockdown amid fears rising Indian variant cases could push back the date.