'The rain's been great for my pub - takings are up 20%'

Traders in a market town have reported an unexpected boost in footfall and revenue following the recent spell of wet weather.

After a record-breaking start to the year for rainfall, some businesses in Richmond, North Yorkshire, claim that rather than deter customers, the weather has encouraged them to spend time inside and open their wallets.

Daniel Williams, landlord of The Town Hall pub said takings at the start of 2026 were up 20% compared to previous years.

"The weather being as terrible as it is has really helped us - people are looking to escape the horrible weather, so we certainly can't complain at the moment," he said.

"We'll get massive groups in because they'll have come out for a walk, got sick of the walk and then come into us, so it's been very positive for business I'd say."

This year has had one of the wettest starts on record, with some parts of England and Wales enduring rain every day in January.

Inclement weather normally causes people to stay away from their local high street or town centre, according to retail expert Catherine Shuttleworth.

"It's been absolutely lousy - you open the curtains in the morning and the last thing you want to do is go outside," she said.

"What happens is, people just don't go into town. They find different ways to do shopping and different ways to do jobs."

The general trend is that people "tighten their belts", with some in hospitality even choosing to close over the winter months, Shuttleworth added.

"That's a normal thing this time of year, but it's just been made much worse by this really gloomy phase that we've had."

Williams said that although the older generation might find it harder to get out in bad weather, "anyone a bit younger is straight into the pub to stay out of the rain".

Many Richmond businesses benefit from having both indoor and outdoor spaces, he added.

"When the weather is really good, only the businesses with the outdoor areas are going to benefit - ourselves for example, we've only got a small outdoor area.

"If you're from Yorkshire you're not bothered by the weather. Sun, snow you're going to be out no matter what."

The Station Cinema, a picture house inside the town's former railway station, has also seen a 20% increase in admissions compared to usual January figures.

Digital development manager Dan Westgarth said the staff were "doing rain dances every day to hope it continues".

"The weather's amazing for us, because when it rains outside, everyone wants to come indoors and enjoy a film," he said.

The Station Cinema is owned by the Richmondshire Building Preservation Trust, a registered charity which restored the station as a cultural and leisure venue.

The space also hosts a cafe and other small shops, so people opting to stay dry and watch a film is positive for the other independent businesses, Westgarth added.

"The cafe-bar next to us will be full, we've got some good kids' films coming out, which means the bakery, the ice cream shop, even the brewery will see a benefit I hope.

"When the sun's out, it's normally quite a quiet time for a cinema, but when it pours you know you're going to be in for a busy day."

It wasn't quite as sunny a picture for garden supplies store J&H Meynells, run by John Meynell.

"The weather is deterring the locals from coming out, and obviously deterring the gardeners," he said.

"People are itching to get into the garden but the land's so wet, they just can't get on at all."

Additional reporting by BBC Radio Tees.

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