THE British weather - particularly during the summer months - has long been subject to ridicule.

Its unpredictability and lack of sunshine has led to many families seeking warmer climes during their fortnightly holiday.

But it seems the tide is turning.

More and more of us are now choosing to stay in the UK for our annual break. Bookings are up at New Forest campsites and, in Christchurch, the borough council's information centre has just had its busiest ever three months.

All this despite weather forecasters predicting the wettest August since 1912, with some parts of the country expected to see double the average rainfall for the month.

Are we finally accepting our wet and windy summers and making the best of it?

It certainly seems that way. In May a record 19,347 people visited the High Street information office and, in the quarter from April to June, more than 50,000 passed through its doors - an increase of 38 per cent over the same period in 2007.

But centre manager Sara Stewart-Haddow said while the figures were "unheard of", the weather was actually fine during that period.

She added: "We shouldn't discount the fact that the credit crunch may be causing people to think about having holidays in this country or staying at home and making day trips out."

Gary Fletcher, chief executive of Forest Holidays, which runs Forestry Commission campsites around the UK, agreed.

Bookings at New Forest sites have increased this year, with all 3,200 pitches looking set to be filled during the peak period.

"Across our New Forest sites bookings are up by around 23 per cent compared to this stage of the 2007 season and this reflects the situation nationwide too," explained Gary.

"We feel this is due to many things; more people holidaying in the UK because of the tightening economic situation is just one factor."

Gary added that the sites had been improved since last season and more products were now being offered to visitors.

It seems that providing more services, especially those for rainy days, to holidaymakers is key in attracting them to the area.

Bournemouth's tourism director Mark Smith said: "We have got more on offer. We are providing more for people, and not always things that people have to pay for."

Mark explained that British resorts such as Bournemouth were better placed to provide wet weather activities, as they were more used to the rainy summers.

He added: "I think people are realising that, even on the continent, they've had some pretty awful weather this year and when the weather is wet there, there isn't much on offer.

"Here, we've got a number of top shows with matinee performances and we've got the ice skating at the BIC that's available for the summer.

"Also, looking to the future, things like the surf reef is going to work when the weather's bad. It may not be very good for sitting on the beach, but the worse the weather the better for the surfers."