I'm perfectly willing to accept the weather being part of the reason why participation numbers would be down, it makes a lot of sense. It's only when the LTA try to use it as an excuse as to why they don't create any players
Its not the weather that has gotten worse, its the parents. Poor little Johnny needs to be kept at a steady 70degrees, god help the little darling if it gets wet and cold. My 24 year old frequently has no one show up for a lesson if the weather is cold or a little damp but that never happened when he was a child, most of the kids still showed up for their lesson if it wasn't cancelled by the coach.