Easter 'washout' for tourism businesses

Enjoy Elmwicke camping had more than 30 cancellations

Tourism businesses in Gloucestershire say the Easter period was “a washout”.

Figures from The Met Office show Gloucestershire saw at least double the amount of rainfall last month than is typical for March.

One camping business told the BBC they had to cancel more than 30 bookings because of the wet weather and are "praying" the rain stops ahead of the May bank holidays.

The continuing high rainfall has led to warnings about flash flooding in parts of the Forest of Dean and Stroud, as rain falls on already saturated ground.

'Worried about May bookings'

Ruth Powell, the owner of Enjoy Elmwicke Campsite, said: “Looking at the forecast, we are going to have rain for the whole of April.

"I worry about my bookings for the early May bank holiday and just pray that the rain does eventually stop.”

Kate Dent, co-owner of the The Fuselage glamping site at Lypiatt Hill in Stroud, said: “It has not been booked every single night, but certainly weekends and a few week nights as well.

"The fact that we have a cabin that is completely weatherproof has served us well. We have had people here in storms, it will not blow over and no water can get in.”

Easter was busy for staff at The Fairview Gardner and Tea Room at Birdwood

However the wet weather has not stopped people making day trips, and other businesses are reporting more positive news.

Luke Newson, the owner of The Fairview Gardener & The Tea Room in Birdwood, said: “Easter has been amazing.

"Bank Holiday Monday was our busiest day ever.

"We had queues out the door and people did not mind waiting."

Met Office scientist Emily Carlisle said: "Many will remember how wet March has been, with a succession of fronts and the influence of low pressure seemingly never too far away from the UK.

"Coming off the back of a wet winter and what has been a wet start to the year, many areas have very saturated ground, which has increased the sensitivity to rainfall events in recent weeks.

"With that being said, statistically March was a mild month across the UK with the average temperature higher than average in England."