Our British summers get a bad press. OK, so the weather might not always be the best or even that predictable, we get pestered by grumpy wasps and hay fever makes many of us miserable. However, there are some quintessential things that make a British summer unlike any other summer in the world. Here are some of the most uniquely British things about summer:
1.Fruit in alcohol
As soon as the sun comes out, we love to start adding fruit to our alcohol. Pimm’s is the popular summer beverage and is infinitely classier than beer or lager. Not sure if it counts towards your five a day, but all manner of fruit begins appearing in our summer drinks.
- Rained out BBQs
Any plans for a BBQ normally fall on a day when it rains. There will be no cancellation of said event and all soldier on huddled under umbrellas and raincoats eating soggy hot dogs and tutting every once in a while.
- Crazy headlines
As soon as temperatures rise in Britain, panic sets in and headlines reflect the media gone into overdrive. Whether it’s reports of a heatwave, Indian summer or panic-buying of bottled water, in reality, it barely reaches 20 degrees and nothing catastrophic happens.
- Rumours begin about a hosepipe ban
A few consecutive days of sunshine and rumours start circulating about a hosepipe ban.
- Rumours begin about a water shortage
See above point. The same thing goes for a water shortage. A few days without a drop of rain and we all start worrying we’re becoming an African desert and the supermarkets immediately sell out of bottled water.
- Moaning
The British have got the art of moaning down to a fine art. We moan when it rains, we moan about not getting a summer and then as soon as the temperature rises above 25 degrees, we moan that it’s too hot to sleep!
- Smashed windows
Yes, the good weather brings the kids and families out onto the streets to play their rare games of cricket, football, tennis, frisbee or nerf fights. There is bound to be, at least one incidence of a ball going through a window. If it happens to be your window, contact Emergency Glaziers Leicester at https://www.nandu.co.uk/glazing/replacement-glazing/
- Crowded beaches
As soon as we get a warm spell, the chances of finding a spot on the beach decrease to almost zero. When you do, it all gets a bit crowded and cosy as you’re virtually sharing your neighbour’s towel.
- Shirtless men
There is something disconcerting about popping down to the shops and running the gauntlet of bare-chested men. Unfortunately, they are almost always men who really shouldn’t remove their shirts!
- Wimbledon
Love it or hate it, there’s no getting away from the fact that the start of British summertime is marked by endless coverage of Wimbledon on the TV.
- Dodgy fashion
The summer weather brings out the worst in many wardrobes. The fashion police are super busy at this time of year, as we start to see the socks and sandals combo, overly tight vests, too short shorts and crocs, to name just a few.
- Wasps
What is it with these critters? You can never eat an ice cream in peace without the obligatory yelp and dash as you avoid the angry, buzzing onslaught.
