Oh bloody hell so much on this thread made me boil. Some lovely posters have said some heartwarming stuff tho, so faith in humanity is retained. I don't see it as having a jibe at anyone in London, I think there is a vast misconception about life down here at the best of times and events like this just serve to widen the gap.
We are a struggling community in one of the UKs poorest regions. We have been at natures behest for several years now, we are doing our best but we need to see some level of investment into the infrastructure that enables goods out... And people in. We can buy local and support local but we cannot build the local railways, drains, power lines and roads in desperate need of attention.
Perhaps if Dave knows how much £££ his pasty tax raised last year we could see some of that coming back down our way?
And YY come and visit, please, and if you cant do that buy Cornish potatoes, cauli and swede if by a miracle any can be harvested, and delivered up country because lives depend on it.
Thanks so much for the comments about a lovely summer, seasonal rain rough with the smooth type of thing. For anyone else echoing this did you visit during 2007-2012 where you could count dry days on one hand? So many businesses went under at this time... people did not come back after 1or 2 bad summers they went somewhere else... in droves.
And really the joy of 2013 sun also just about saved many more from going under. So many of us are hanging on by a thread. With debts of 5 yrs poor income to pay off If we can still attract some tourists in 2014, on which so much depends, holidaymakers will find much changed. Many of our sandy beaches are now lacking sand and many more are inaccessible as coastal paths have slid away.
Ancient rocks have crumbled, harbour walls smashed. beaches are littered with plastic and sanitary flotsam that is threatening wildlife. Seasonal beach cleans will be busy and well supported but a mere drop in the ocean sorry for horrid pun 
.
My heart breaks not for the lack of fish in my local food box but with the reality that the fisherman have at best not been able to get their boats out, or worse their livelihood has been washed away. Cattle feed will be sodden and unusable so those who have managed to save their livestock will be forced to buy in feed. Will any of the paper whites and daffodils make it to spring? yes these are only flowers, but livings are made growing and exporting these as well.
The knock on effect of all of this is the prices that have to rise further down the chain... I wonder if Mr Tesco-Sainsburys-Waitrose will continue to support West Country produce when prices inevitably rise. I hope so.
Sorry did not mean to be such a long post. Wind howling can't sleep.