July 1, 2009 Hampton Beach business suffering in poor weather Play video

(NECN: Brad Puffer, Hampton, NH) - On a typical July 1st, Hampton Beach would be packed. Not this day. Once again fog, rain and drizzle have put a damper on the start of summer. The temperature never even hit 60-degrees.

While miserable for vacationers, it's even more miserable for the businesses that line this typically busy strip.

Kristen Statires, Owner, K. Stats: "You got the economy plus the weather equals no people and no people equals no business."

This is the first year Kristin Statires has owned her seafood stand. But what a year to start a business, when making even a single clam roll feels like a victory.

Kristen Statires, Owner, K. Stats: "Every day you think it cannot get worse than this but every day it actually gets worse and so I'm just hoping for a good weekend we need the fourth, we need the sun, we need the people."

At the Chamber of Commerce Visitors Center, hundreds usually stop in every day for information. But Joe Bolis had little to do but put up a sign saying the evening's fireworks had been canceled.

Joe Bolis, Hampton Chamber of Commerce: "People ask me where they can go, go to the malls go to the movies, go bowling just places like that."

"Businesses here had hoped the down economy would actually keep people vacationing closer to home. But instead the start of the season has been dismal."

Peter Coutis, General Manager, Ashworth Hotel: "The weather has to cooperate for same day bookings."

Peter

Coutis runs the Ashworth by the Sea Hotel, one of the oldest and most popular along the beach. Usually they are fully booked - but not this night. Still he is trying to stay positive.

Peter Coutis, General Manager, Ashworth Hotel: "We feel it will be a great summer. Will it be as great as our best year ever which was last year. Probably not. Partly because of what we just went thorough in June."

This seaside resort town has a beautiful beach and plenty to do. The population often grows from 15-thousand year round residents to 120-thousand on a good day. That hasn't happened yet.

Kristen Statires, Owner, K. Stats: "It has never started this bad so it just has to get better it just has to."