Monday, April 12, 2004
Wet City
Swansea makes the top of the league at one thing even if it is not something that we are going to shout from the rooftops about. Yet this survey goes one step further and puts a price on our acolade as Britain's wettest City. It is allegedly costing us £582.4 million a year in cancelled events, ruined clothes, extra washing bills and increased heating costs. Those of us rushing to the bank to check our balance should note that the research has been commissioned by the manufacturers of Comfort Fast Dry fabric conditioners. They have come up with a cost of £9.5 billion a year for rain across the whole of Britain. Given that rain has a cost benefit as well in agricultural terms and in replenishing our reservoirs to name but a few examples then perhaps the sponsors of this research have been a bit over-negative in their approach. Nevertheless, there does need to be a study to establish why it is that all of Swansea's average annual rainfall of 53 inches only ever materialises when I am out campaigning.
