When I was younger I’m sure I remember going home for the school summer holidays and spending my time enjoying the fairly consistent British weather. Naturally there was the odd day of rain but by and large I am very confident one could be fairly certain the sun would be shining and the temperature would be above 18 degrees. In fact, I definitely recall a few years where hosepipes would be banned...what does one need to do to get a decent drought!?

Follow up:

For the third summer in a row the barbeque has not been used and the patio furniture has remained in the garage. The first summer this happened the country seemed to shake it off with a kind ‘never mind, just a bad year’ attitude, much like you do if there’s the odd bad ski season, but three years running of more rainy, dark days than sunny ones and it just becomes depressing.

Last weekend I attended a wedding and you’d think that the 1st August would be the perfect day to enjoy a beautiful summer’s day. However, it was cloudy all day, fairly cold and we endured the most horrific rain shower as we walked to the marquee, all cowering under umbrellas.

Is this what we’re going to have to get used to? Will the lives of the British public in July and August be reduced to slightly higher temperatures than the rest of the year but just as much rain? In May and June the country seemed optimistic. There were a few very hot days and for a while we remembered what a typical British summer used to be like. Offices were hot, parks were packed at lunchtimes and the beaches were full at the weekends. However, something’s gone wrong and it feels like it’s been downhill ever since.

Meanwhile, across Spain temperatures have been soaring and Tuscany has been consistently above 30 degrees. I know where I’m spending next summer!

Matthew Fox