Clacton Pier joins national campaign for clearer weather app forecasts
Over 80 attractions push for improved weather presentation
Clacton Pier, Europe's largest pleasure pier, is supporting a nationwide campaign aimed at changing how weather forecasts are displayed on popular apps.
The pier's management, alongside over 80 outdoor attractions in the UK, are urging for clearer and more detailed presentation of weather information, as misleading rain icons can significantly impact visitor numbers.
A raincloud icon summarizing a 24-hour period can give the impression of a washout, affecting plans even when the majority of the day remains dry.
The campaign calls for a roundtable discussion involving the Met Office, government, and major weather app developers to explore improvements including separate daytime and overnight icons, clearer summaries, and indicators showing the proportion of expected dry hours.
Other Essex attractions which have signed up include:
- Adventure Attractions — Southend-on-Sea, Essex
- Adventure Island — Southend-on-Sea, Essex
- Audley End Enchanted Railway — Saffron Walden, Essex
- Colchester Zoological Society — Colchester, Essex
- Remus Memorial Horse Sanctuary — Ingatestone, Essex
Billy Ball, Clacton Pier's director, expressed concern over the impact on visitor plans, noting, “This is very frustrating and hits us hard financially every single year. An unfavourable forecast can mean our number of visitors dropping by around 30 per cent or even more. Along with other factors making it a difficult time moneywise, it can lead to reduced investment and less job opportunities for the local community.”
Tourism contributes £147 billion annually to the UK economy, with domestic day trips alone valued at over £50 billion.
Led by Chester Zoo, the campaign focuses on improving the visual presentation of forecasts, particularly those by third-party apps which may inadvertently depict overnight rain as an all-day affair.
Ball said, “Sometimes there are just a few early morning showers yet the only symbol potential visitors see is rain and therefore stay at home fearing a washout. We totally agree with the other attractions in the group that there must be a better way to present forecasts that will better reflect what families can actually expect to find if they make the journey. The Met Office is the UK’s most trusted weather authority and if it leads the way, other apps will follow.”
The campaign's aim is to make weather forecasts clearer, thereby giving families confidence in planning outings and protecting jobs in the UK visitor economy.
Other attractions supporting the initiative include Blackpool Pleasure Beach Resort, Eden Project, Blenheim Palace, RHS Gardens, Southend’s Adventure Island, and Colchester Zoological Society.