It wouldn't surprise me if it was declining. Since 2007 there has been a notable deterioration in the UK climate, with about one in four monthly statistics being in the top or bottom ten for sunshine, temperature or rainfall, and mostly in the unpleasant direction (i.e. wettest, coldest, dullest). November to early January has been pretty bad in southern England with it raining nearly every day and continuously dull and windy. I'm not surprised people would rather avoid exposing themselves to such grotty weather.