Were it not for the last ten days of World Athletics I would not have realised it was August. I do love to watch sport on television but struggle in the summer as I cannot bear to miss out on the glorious weather and long hours of daylight. Considering the disappointing August we’ve just had, the British team should have had plenty of people cheering them on from the sheltered comfort of their living rooms. Those that did tune in were treated to some truly top class performances. To top off a month of great sport England women’s hockey team brought home the European title, winning on penalties over the Netherlands.
The poor weather wasn’t bad news for everyone though as there was a tourist attraction that timed its opening to perfection. As the rain poured down on queuing visitors, the artists and owners of Dismaland must have rubbed their hands with joy. The new ‘bemusement’ park influenced by Bristol artist Banksy has prided itself on being ‘the UK’s most disappointing new visitor attraction’ playing off the reputation of its location, Weston Super Mare. The opposite and alternative to Disney Land has already sold out for the next week and as we leave summer behind they can relax in the knowledge that winter is on its way.
It seems the holidaymakers in Cornwall had already had enough by the time I joined them in unexpected queues heading east on Friday afternoon. I thought I would be escaping in the right direction, before the county became full with the weekend traffic, but sadly not. Disappointingly the North Cornwall coast was not the best advert for a water-based holiday as many of the beaches were closed due to a raw sewage leakage. This is most unfortunate for a county that relies so heavily on tourism and prides itself on good water quality. It does sadden me that Southwest Water cannot deal with a bit of rain at such a crucial time of the year for the Cornish economy.
