April downpours lead to record trade at the box office

The wettest April for over a century proved to be anything but a washout for the entertainment industry, new figures have revealed.

Britons flooded cinemas and theatres in record numbers to escape the gloomy weather, according to a study of the spending habits of half a million credit card users. Over the month, Britons spent 155 per cent more oncinema and theatre trips this year compared to April 2011.

John Brady, head of commercial at John Lewis's partnership card said: "It seems that when it's wet, cinemas and theatres do a booming trade. The poor April weather this year was certainly great news for arts and culture."

April's box office takings were also boosted by the UK release of superhero ensemble flick Avengers Assemble, which stars Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson and a CGI version of The Incredible Hulk. The blockbuster is the third-biggest grossing film of all-time, having just passed the global takings of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.