Pallid Britons baste in spring surprise

Press, 2 May 1984, Page 23

Pallid Britons baste in spring surprise

By

FIONA GILLIES,

through NZPA London Nothing is quite so white as skin which has just spent a winter in Britain. Normally at this time of year, it is still well hidden under many layers of clothes. But since the recent burst of spring sunshine, which has sent temperatures soaring into the low 20s — the British call it a heat-wave — people have, reptile-like, been shedding their outer layers to reveal their flesh to the world for the first time this year.

It is something like those blind, white lizards on nature programmes, which live deep in caves and have that sort of see-through skin in which you can see veins pumping.

Suddenly, everywhere, chalk-coloured limbs poke from summer frocks; bare, white hairy chests are exposed on trains; and puffy feet appear in sandals. Of course a few people, mainly elderly, refuse to believe the obvious. They huff and puff around the city in thick overcoats unable to accept that it can be warm in April. But generally, there is a sort of euphoria about; not really surprising after six months of weather which made you feel like checking your ankles to see if there was mildew growing up your legs. Crazy things keep happening as Britain continues to enjoy the best spring weather on record. An ice-cream manufacturer, Lyon’s Maid, say the public has forked out more than £3 million (SNZ6.S million) on ice-cream and ice-blocks this week alone; 40 per cent more than the

same time last year. Hamley’s toy shop in London is selling 300 swimming pools a morning. "We must have sold 2500 this week,” said the managing director, Mr Brian Griffin. “Trade on all summer lines like outdoor games, dinghies and T-shirts is 60 per cent up on normal.” In Brighton, the council is boasting that hotel bookings are at August Bank Holiday levels and local ice-cream distributors are warning that supplies in scores of shops will run out On April 27, in what would have to be one of the greatest grocery rip-offs of all time, a chain store manageress paid £4O (SNZBS) at a Dublin auction for eight punnets of the first spring strawberries. “I like to be first,” said Ms Joan Kerr.

“I have done it for years, for devilment.

“I will give them to be auctioned again for charity.”

The weather is not just affecting people. In North Devon, a bullock charged through a hotel garden and hurled himself into the pool to cool off. He had to be hoisted out.

Two professors have tried to put a damper on all the enjoyment by claiming that too much sunshine can ruin your sex life. They told a conference in Italy that it can make men sterile in just two hours and can seriously damage women’s breasts.

But scant regard has been paid to the warning by sunbathers.

An electrician, Mr Paul Brady, aged 20, thought the professors’ advice was a good way of “pulling birds.” “I can tell them I have

been in the sun for two hours so they do not need to worry about taking the Pill.” Ms Patricia D’Arcy, aged 24, a nurse, of Portsmouth, said; “You must be joking, the sun is great for your sex life. “Another two days of this and you won’t be able to see me for men.” The weather has been causing problems for some, however. Aviemore, in Scotland, which has been experiencing the highest temperatures in Britain, still has snow on the slopes. People are skiing in bikinis and shorts, but several cases of snow blindness have been reported in the last few days. Two men at the Devon resort of Torquay enthusiastically dived into 80cm of water and were taken to hospital with suspected broken necks. Keepers at London Zoo are planning to rub down their Brazilian tapirs with suntan oil to keep their skins from getting too dry.

Sunbathers at the beach should follow the zookeepers’ lead. If there is one thing worse than grey-white skin, it is red-white sunburnt skin.

This time last year, authorities were attempting to cope with late snowfalls. This year, they are having just as much trouble at the other extreme. The Automobile Association is prepared for road' chaos this week-end as thousands Head for the coast in cars unable to cope with the heat. In Wales, rivers are down to two-thirds of their normal level and the South West Water Authority officials have met to discuss

ways of averting a drought A spokesman, Mr Bruce Powell, said: “If the weather continues like this, we would certainly consider restrictions in some areas in. the next few weeks.”

Firefighters have been battling blazes all over the country and some national parks have been closed because of the fire risks.

Employers have reported high levels of absenteeism as people simply have not showed up for work after Easter. But farmers aren’t complaining. Potato growers, who were wallowing in mud and moaning about lost acreages this time last year, are up to date with planting. Cattle, which last year were costing a fortune to feed indoors, are out to grass, and spring-sown cereal and vegetable crops are doing well.

Lest all this talk of fine weather in Britain is making some think of emigrating, or at least just making a visit, perhaps I should mention that thunderstorms are predicted for next week and the weather people cannot make up their minds as to whether summer is going to be hot and sunny or cool and wet.