Local Life - Wigan - August 2018

4
Shades Of 76
There is a rule when you write magazine ‘intros’–
don’t write about the weather. The magazine
takes seven days to be printed, and in the UK, a lot
can happen in seven days. I’m going to break this
taboo now because really, apart from the World Cup,
is anyone talking about anything other than the
weather?
For anyone of a certain age or above, 1976 was the
benchmark for hot summers. Back then, we’d just
voted to stay in Europe (eh?), and we had an official
Minister for Drought, Dennis Howells, who advised
us all to “take a bath with a friend”. So how does 1976
compare to 2018?
Well, in 1976 there were highs of more than 28C for a
record-breaking 22 days. And this was before global
warming was a ‘thing’. The tarmac on motorways
melted, people queued at standpipes and there were
reports of swarms of ladybirds ‘attacking humans’,
though it was pointed out that they were simply
trying to rehydrate by drinking people’s sweat.
Not that we kids were that fussed about the weather;
we were more bothered about getting a go on the
new Raleigh Chopper, but they were few and far
between where I lived and we had to make do with
the odd go on a Spacehopper instead!
In the last week of August 1976, the weather broke,
severe thunderstorms hit, and Dennis had his job
title changed to the Minister for Floods. No-one
remembers the rain though, we just remember
those hot sunny days when we had the time of our
lives. Hopefully, 40 years from now, kids today may
well reminisce just as fondly about the summer of 18.
Have a good summer,
Chris Pearce - Publisher
chrisp@locallife247.co.uk