Failed deal? Blame credit. Ailing high street sales? Blame credit. Lost your house? Blame credit.
Hellish traffic jams on your journey out of the capital for your Easter break? Blame credit.
Yes, according to Aviva and the RAC, “credit crunch fears are expected to increase domestic travel.”
Despite the plethora of no frills airlines offering cut-price getaways, Brits, in fear of their jobs and their livelihoods, have reportedly cancelled plans for a trip abroad and opted to remain at home.
One might have thought that the unusually early timing of Easter – the earliest it has fallen since 1913 – might have more to do with it. Many schools have opted to schedule their Easter holidays proper after the long weekend to avoid breaking up the term, a move which may have upended parents’ plan to use the bank holidays for a spell abroad.
But that’s not news. Credit is where it’s at:
RAC research has revealed that the credit crunch is taking its toll with nearly half (43%) of motorists less likely to travel abroad this Easter compared with last year. With Visit Britain predicting an increase on 2007 UK holidays at Easter, more motorists then ever are expected to take to the roads.
For those fearing that the country collectively – imperilled by rogue traders, bank robbers and champagne quaffing rumour mongers – has creditably lost its mind, some things remain reassuringly constant. We can still blame the weather:
An additional factor set to cause chaos on the roads is the wintry weather caused by a Siberian cold snap due to hit the UK on Thursday, just as the Easter getaway gets underway.
Phew.