'Misleading weather apps can cost attractions up to £137k a day'

Major UK tourist attractions including Chester and Edinburgh Zoo are calling for changes to the way weather forecasts are displayed on mobile phone apps - warning that "misleading" rain icons cost venues up to £137,000 a day. The Cheshire zoo has led the push on behalf of more than 80 outdoor attractions which also includes Blackpool Pleasure Beach in Lancashire and a range of other venues and destinations. They argue a single rain cloud icon summarising a 24-hour period can imply a washout even when much of the day is expected to be dry - meaning families often cancel plans from a quick glance at a phone screen. The Met Office said it was working on improvements. The attractions claim "spontaneous visits" are highly weather-dependent, and cite research which suggests about 70% of people check forecasts before heading out. Some report attendance falling by up to 30% following an unfavourable forecast. The group stressed it was not challenging forecast accuracy - but how the information is visually presented, particularly by third-party apps that may show overnight rain as an all-day rain symbol, for example. Dom Strange, of Chester Zoo, said: "When families see a raincloud icon, ma