Mercifully, after the exhaustingly long and scorchingly hot summer of 2018, we have seen things return to normal in the UK, that is weather-wise, of course! Quite frankly, we Brits are obsessed with talking about the weather. Whilst I don’t have any actual research to reference, I would feel quietly confident to suggest that up and down the country, the weather would be mentioned to one degree or another within the first five minutes of any particular conversation.
[gap height=”15″]
It’s not that we have nothing else to talk about; it’s just that the UK’s weather is so frustratingly unpredictable and unreliable, that it somehow manages to filter into and have an influence over so many of the day-to-day aspects of our lives. What we plan to do versus what is actually possible on the day, given the weather; what to wear, given the weather; what to eat, given the weather; where to go on holiday, given the weather – the list goes on.
[gap height=”15″]
And as summer comes around, that is understandably when our craving for predictable weather, i.e. some regular sunshine, peaks. We long for the summer but inevitably, and disappointingly, it never actually arrives when we want it most. I’ve lost count over the years of the number of family occasions, from beautifully organised weddings through to perfectly planned picnics, that have been hampered or even worse, obliterated by our weather’s unpredictability.
[gap height=”15″]
[gap height=”15″]
People want to be tan come the summer months, and we are consistently and reliably there to deliver and satisfy that desire responsibly, come rain or shine.
[gap height=”15″]
[gap height=”15″]
Yet, where there’s a yin there must be a yang. And in my world, and the world of the UK’s indoor tanning industry, the dualism of the yin and yang philosophy is that the British weather actually complements our business. For, as sure as night becomes day, people want to be tan come the summer months, and we are consistently and reliably there to deliver and satisfy that desire responsibly, come rain or shine.
[gap height=”15″]
And I believe it is the lack of consistency in the sunshine element of our summer weather that has been a significant factor that has caused many of the “sun safe” campaigns thrust upon us over the years to fail. A responsible approach to sun awareness is of course advocated by all professionals. Yet, it is perhaps a flaw in human nature that so many of us want or desire what we can’t have. And, as a result, whilst Joe Public is actually aware that too much sun exposure will result in burning, which we all know is what must always be avoided for our skin’s good health, the capital vices of desire and greed all too often overwhelm rational thought and behaviour. As such, parks and beaches are guaranteed to become crammed full with people just as soon as the sun is scheduled to put in a solid appearance of several hours – and, very unfortunately, there they will stay, exposed to the summertime UV intensity for the duration, children and adults alike. Ouch!
[gap height=”15″]
But consistently standing proud away from the melee of irrational thought and behaviour is the calming influence of the professional tanning salon. A haven of year-round, guaranteed UV rays, delivering controlled tanning sessions to those able to tan, and perhaps sunless options for those who cannot. I feel a sense of relief just writing those words.
[gap height=”15″]
So, on that basis, I guess I’ve found some good to come from always talking about the weather. By the way, I hear there’s rain in the forecast for tomorrow.
[gap height=”15″]
[gap height=”15″]
