Bad weather puts damper on profits

Unexpected adverse weather is costing leisure companies £245m a year, according to a survey commissioned by the Met Office.

Of the 100 companies polled, 38 said they had had projects cancelled due to the weather.

The survey showed the leisure sector to be most at risk.

Despite this, only 12% of leisure businesses were found to take the weather into account when making plans.

Last year the Chequers Inn in Lamberhurst, near Tunbridge Wells, Kent, was flooded five times when the river Tiese burst its banks.

Stuart Neame, vice-chairman of the Shepherd Neame brewery, which owns the pub, said: "The weather is the single biggest influence on our sales."

Nicky Hayward, co-owner of the 16-bedroom Seaview hotel on the Isle of Wight, said freak weather and the World Cup had had the greatest adverse affect on bookings over the past 20 years.