WITH the school holidays over, Purbeck businesses and attractions are reflecting on their summer.

After a season that can most generously be described as mixed weather-wise, indoor attractions such as the Tank Museum at Bovington may well have come out best.

Museum spokesman Nik Wyness said: "In terms of visitors we are on course to have our best summer season since 2001, and this is in no small part due to the weather, which I'm sure will have benefited other indoor attractions in Dorset."

But in the seaside resort of Swanage, early signs are that it has not been a profitable summer, with the Chamber of Trade reporting that the general feeling was one of a decidedly average few months.

Angie Brown, owner of Cloud 9 gift shop in The Square, said: "It's been very patchy. I think it's down to the weather, really.

"I'm lucky because I'm on a par, but I know a lot of people who are down. I've come out probably about the same as last year, but it's not brilliant."

Likewise in Wareham, the sun's limited appearances have not helped traders.

Jennifer Barnard, who owns the Blue Pool Tea Rooms, said: "The good days have been great, but we don't talk about the bad days.

"We're an outdoor attraction, but the sun did not shine as much as we would have liked. Hopefully we will have a good September."

But it wasn't all doom and gloom. Lulworth Castle held jousting events during July and August and marketing manager Trudy Braithwaite said visitor figures were 14 per cent up on average each day as a result.

She said the only event that suffered from the weather was August's Spirit of the Countryside festival.