It's Spring - or is it?

Well, you would have thought it was spring by the clothes people were wearing to travel to work this morning – or, should I say, lack of clothes people were wearing. Thin sweaters, bare midriffs, no coats, pastel shades. Are they crazy? It’s 7 degrees this morning.

The sun’s out! The sun’s out! Must be summer! Let’s get the summer togs out. It’s got to be hot out there – the sun’s out.

Oh, naïve ones. It’s freezing today. You should be thinking what more you can pile on, not what you can take off. And I bet that on my way home from work this lunch-time I’ll count at least 10 people walking down Preston Road in short-sleeved T-shirts, or less…

What is it about Brightonians and the sun? I’ve always wondered why they bring out their summer finery as soon as the sun emerges. Are Brightonians made of stern stuff? Do they feel that being in Brighton is a permanent summer experience? It doesn’t matter what time of year you are in this city, you will always see people wandering around in their summer clothes.

A frame of mind? Perhaps…