Like very many people in and around Tavistock, I was very distressed an anxious about the arrival of Storm Darragh over the weekend, bringing damaging winds and heavy rain. I understand that many public events were disrupted across the southern UK, no doubt resulting in disappointment and lost business opportunities for many. I had the unfortunate duty to be party to the long and agonising debate about whether the BID’s much anticipated Dickensian Evening should go ahead in full on Thursday. Every possible consideration was taken into account during protracted discussions.

Specific advice was even sought from the UK Meteorological Office, including a one-to-one discussion with one of their professional forecasters. All advice at that time pointed towards the very high risk of destructive winds in our area at the crucial time on Friday evening. As a fully qualified weather forecaster myself, I would remind critics, that weather forecasts of this nature are fundamentally probabilistic, especially in a fast-moving synoptic situation with weather systems following a number of possible of trajectories at uncertain speeds, always with the possibility of change and development in ways that even modern computer techniques struggle to predict. As it turned out, Darragh, for reasons of his own, was slightly slower in his approach to the UK than expected, striking our area overnight rather than during Friday evening.

As always, it is easy and unfair, to be wise after the event. I am aware that a degree of criticism has been expressed regarding the outcome of the decision to cancel the outdoor events. While disappointment is entirely understandable, it should be born in mind that many of the participants and outdoor acts had already cancelled or expressed their extreme concern about the inevitable safety issues. This compounded the difficulty facing the organisers, who of course, were desperate for all aspects of the evening to go ahead but had to consider public safety as an absolute priority in their decision making. The need to warn members of the public in time to avoid disappointment was also a crucial factor. The possibility of postponement was also considered seriously, but deemed impossible due to problems such as road closures and the future availability of participants.

As the evening turned out, I was pleasantly surprised to witness many apparently happy shoppers out browsing the shops as well as packing the pannier market, Butchers Hall, the museum and other indoor areas. Many were clutching their purchases in an attempt to protect them the rain, but all seemed determined to enjoy the occasion. What a shame that the rain didn’t turn to snow in time to create a traditional Christmas scene. But then, there would inevitably have been critics moaning about the cold and difficulties on the roads!