Watch out if you’re heading to France this summer: dozens of towns have started fining men for walking around with their tops off. Actually, it’s not specific to men; I just assume they’re more likely to strip off. Narbonne, near the Mediterranean coast, has joined at least 30 other municipalities in banning anyone from wandering around town bare-chested, in swimwear or even barefoot, with a €150 (£130) fine for those flashing excess flesh (according to France Télévision, about 15 people were fined when Narbonne started enforcing its “please stay dressed” code last summer).
Could it happen in Britain? Quite apart from the police resourcing crisis, I’m struggling to imagine officers getting people to cover up in Glasgow, where stripping down at the first glimpse of the weakest rays of sunshine is a venerable civic tradition, and a public-spirited website tracks whether it’s “taps-aff” or “taps-oan” weather (a windless, clear, 17C is the threshold for taps-aff according to site creator Colin Waddell, if you’re wondering).
