Daytime is money at £3bn an hour

The coalition has suggested that extending British Summer Time by one hour would boost tourism and cut carbon emissions.

Russell Coleridge of Emscote Road outdoors shop Escape 2 believes the idea could also improve people’s health and reduce heart disease and obesity.

Mr Coleridge said: “The moment the evenings start to get lighter we feel instantly better and happier.

“We feel livelier, more energetic and enthusiastic about life in general. Anticipation of sunnier days brings more people into the shop, determined to spend more time out exercising in the countryside.”

Under the Government plans in a forthcoming tourism strategy, clocks would move forward as usual this summer, not go back in the winter, and then move forward another hour next year.

As well as a £3 billion boost to the economy through increased tourism and leisure activities, the Government says the change would create 80,000 jobs and cut carbon emissions by 447,000 tonnes every winter.

Mr Coleridge added: “At the moment we’re seeing a huge number of people coming in to buy equipment to take part in the Three Peaks Challenge. New walking boots, outdoor clothing and as this is England, waterproof clothing, are all on their shopping lists.

“Some of these are already keen walkers who need extra or replacement gear and some are those who’ve decided 2011 is the year to do something positive in the health and fitness line. Either way, the Three Peaks Challenge is no walk in the park and requires a decent amount of training to be able to cope with the rigours of the three ascents and descents.

“If we had an extra hour of daylight every day between spring and autumn just think how much livelier we’d all be, and how that extra hour would come in very handy when tackling Scafell Pike.”