CLEETHORPES traders endured a disappointing bank holiday weekend as the biting cold winds kept visitors away.
Resort businesses along the sea front reported a fall in trade on last year's Easter weekend.
While the recent sandstorm, disruption to rail services and the economic downturn will not have helped matters, most businesses said the unseasonably cold weather was the main factor behind the poor start to the summer season.
Andy McCluskey, owner of the Kingsway Kiosk, said: "It's not been as busy as we would like it and there have been fewer people around than in previous years.
"There is less money in the economy and people are thinking carefully before they come out. They are not going to come out on a freezing cold day. They are going to wait for a nice sunny day."
Mike Wade, owner of Seaview Equestrian Centre, which runs donkey rides along the beach, said customers had been "virtually non-existent".
He said: "It's sad but we can't control the weather. People are not going to want to come if they know it's going to be cold.
"We have got to remember we are in the middle of a recession and people are short of money."
Terry Proctor, owner of Jade and Julie's ice cream parlours and Oddball's Crazy Golf Course, said: "Easter has been poor. "We have done OK but we are down on normal. A lot of things have conspired against us."
Owen Taylor, owner of Taylor Made Fun, believes forecasts of snow encouraged potential visitors to book flights abroad or trips to Centerparcs instead.
So even when the sun came out in the second half of the weekend, numbers stayed down as people had already committed to other plans.
He said: "The weather was always going to be a factor, especially with Easter coming so early. Historically, Easter is the benchmark for the season, but last year we had a good Easter and then it fizzled out. Hopefully, we will have the opposite of that this year."
Although his trade suffered when the sandstorm forced the closure of the Central Promenade, Mr Taylor praised the council for its efforts in getting it reopened by Thursday.
William McArdle, owner of Mack's Amusements on the North Promenade, said: "There was nobody here on Good Friday, Saturday was the same and Easter Sunday was just like an average Sunday. I put it down to the weather and economic state of the country."
Melanie Wood, owner of Pleasure Island theme park, said: "It's been a terrible start to the year. We can only hope it is down to the weather. We have to believe there are better times ahead."
