Press release -
Sun-starved holidaymakers will flee country on 12th August despite heat of the moment
- Study pinpoints dash date for depressed UK
- 28 per cent still believe the UK has the worst weather in the world
- Weather raining on two thirds of people’s moods
- 45 per cent crying out for a one-stop shop for holiday essentials
The recent return of the sun won’t stop the people of the UK jetting off to catch some more reliable rays – and Monday 12thAugust* marks their most likely departure date, according to Post Office Travel research.
Temperatures may have reached 29 degrees earlier this week but over a quarter (28 per cent) of those surveyed believe that the UK has the worst weather in the world.
And millions across the country have had enough – with two thirds (66 per cent) feeling genuinely down because of all the wind and rain throughout May, June and so far in July.
Almost half (48 per cent) feel frustrated at the inconsistent weather, with just under a quarter (23 per cent) going as far as diagnosing themselves with Seasonal Affective Disorder.
However, this need for escapism can prove time-consuming, with Post Office Travel research finding the average person spends over two hours a week online looking for the perfect getaway**.
Be it planning activities (35 per cent) like scuba diving and spa treatments, or buying holiday clothes (31 per cent), some holiday preparation fills holidaymakers with excitement.
However, certain pre-holiday tasks induce a sense of dread, with almost half (45 per cent) craving a one-stop shop where they can get all the holiday essentials such as insurance, passports and travel money.
EastEnders star Samantha Womack, who is supporting the new Post Office Travel Essentials campaign, said: “Planning holidays has been stressful in the past, but the Post Office makes it simple to get all the admin sorted, so you can focus on more important things like where you’re going and what you’re going to do. It’s the perfect one-stop shop for all your travel needs!”
Paul Havenhand, Head of Travel at the Post Office, said: “It’s understandable that people are frustrated with the inconsistent weather we’re having. The recent announcement that this sunshine won’t last has unsurprisingly set the nation’s mood for a mass holiday exodus.
“Now more than ever, customers are looking for more choice and flexibility as well as an easy and hassle-free way to get all their essentials under one roof – and the Post Office is the perfect place for holidaymakers to do this.
“Sun-seekers can concentrate on the more exciting parts of going abroad while we can look after the essentials.”
According to the study, it also appears that folks from some cities hanker for a holiday more than others.
Despite being on the coast, the people of Southampton, feel the most downbeat about the downpours, while holiday hotspot Brighton doesn’t seem all that Bright to the locals.
City dwellers feeling unhappy about the UK weather:
Southampton
Manchester
Leicester
Plymouth
London
Brighton
Sheffield
Hull
Nottingham
Leeds
Yet while one in seven (15 per cent) will book a last-minute holiday in search of consistently sunnier skies, a third (33 per cent) of people will simply hide behind closed doors to avoid the bad weather
In fact, many simulate a holiday at home by just listening to summery music (31 per cent), shopping for summer clothes (13 per cent) or even watching summery movies (10 per cent) like Summer Holiday, The Beach and Grease, the study found.
Over 70 different currencies can be pre-ordered at over 11,500 Post Office branches or online for next day branch or home delivery – so getting away won’t be a problem.
Euro are available on demand in more than 10,000 Post Office branches, while the most popular other currencies are available on demand in 1,600 branches. Instant Travel Insurance is available online, by phone or in branch, and Post Office is the only official provider of Passport Check and Send services.
The research was conducted by Opinion Matters for Post Office between 07/06/2013 and 13/06/2013. Sample: 3,052 UK adults
*August was the first summer month to see a spike in respondents feeling in need of a holiday. Meanwhile, the weekday most associated with needing a holiday was Monday (26%). The second week of each month also saw a sizeable peak in this sense of need (22%).
**This average time was calculated by drawing out the median number of minutes in each category i.e. for “0 to 15 minutes”, the median is “7.5 minutes”. This is then multiplied by seven to reflect a week’s worth of time rather than just a day’s worth of time. These figures are in turn multiplied by the individual percentage numbers from the research. The sums of these figures are then divided by 100 to reveal the average number of minutes i.e. 139.5 minutes or “over two hours”.
Median amount spent per day (minutes) | Median amount spent per week (minutes) i.e. "per day" x 7 | Media amount spent per week (minutes) multiplied by each percentage number |
7.5 | 52.5 | 1312.5 |
22.5 | 157.5 | 2520 |
45 | 315 | 3780 |
75 | 525 | 3150 |
105 | 735 | 2940 |
120 | 840 | 252 |
0 | 0 | 0 |
Grand total divided by 100 to calculate average number of minutes spent per week | 139.545 |
ENDS
Contact - Gabrielle O’Gara
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About the Post Office
The Post Office (Post Office Limited) has an unrivalled national network of over 11,500 branches across the UK, more than all the high street banks combined, and sits at the heart of communities in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England. The Post Office has made a commitment to maintaining its network of branches at its current size and reach. It provides around 170 different products and services spanning financial services including savings, insurance, loans, mortgages and credit cards; Government services; telephony; foreign currency; travel insurance and mail services.
The Post Office serves over 17 million customers a week and a third of small businesses. Some 99.7% of the total population live within three miles of a post office and over 97% live with one mile of a post office. For many rural communities, the post office is the only retail outlet. Post Offices branches remain highly valued and trusted, and are the focal point of many communities. For more information, visit http://www.postoffice.co.uk/.
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