Glasgow And Ships Of The Clyde

Easter week-end was a wash-out

From "The Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald" dated Friday 7th April 1972

EASTER WEEKEND WAS A WASHOUT

Almost continual rain showers over the weekend washed out and dampened the spirits of Easter holidaymakers.
All along the Ayrshire Coast and on Arran and Cumbrae, visitors and campers found the near torrential rain showers too much for them, and many visitors returned home before the holiday ended.

A spokesman for the AA said that traffic on Saturday and Sunday was very light compared with previous years - main access routes carrying around 500 cars at peak hours.
However, on Monday traffic was considerably heavier with 1500 cars per hour using the main roads to and from the coast.

Bute County Police report that Cumbrae and Arran were very busy with visitors. Despite the heavy rain there were as many visitors, if not more than last year, on Arran.

ARRAN

The police were paying particular attention to Arran, a favourite resort for large crowds of youngsters, but there was little trouble - apart from two youths who were arrested at Brodick pier for being in illegal possession of cannabis.

The Caledonian Steam Packet Company confirmed that there were many visitors to the Clyde Islands. A spokesman for the company said : "We feel that there has been an increase in those travelling to Arran this weekend, despite the weather."
Most guest houses and hotels in Arran were fully booked and embarkation points on the mainland were crowded with travellers. British Rail reported that the number of people going by rail was down but felt that this was due to the weather - at this time last year conditions were very good compared with this year's downpour.

On Monday a considerable number of people were still coming down to the coast for the day, with between 600 and 700 visitors from Glasgow arriving in Saltcoats.

Traffic was very light from Ardrossan to Belfast, but the ferry "Lion" brought 600 passengers from Ireland on Friday.