Empty chilled shelves, shuttered supermarket freezers and cafés closing early are just some of the ways the ongoing heatwave is affecting daily life in Calne.
With temperatures climbing above 30C across Wiltshire in recent days, businesses and community spaces around the town have been adapting to cope with the unusually hot conditions.
At Sainsbury’s in Calne, some customers found sections of chilled food empty over the weekend after refrigeration units struggled to keep up with demand and the extreme temperatures. On Tuesday, shutters had been placed over parts of the store’s freezer aisles as staff worked to keep temperatures down.
Meanwhile, Fay’s Bistro announced earlier closing times during the hot spell, saying the heat had become uncomfortable for both staff and customers.
St Mary’s Church has also responded to the weather by reminding residents that the church remains open until 4pm each day and offers a cooler place for people looking to escape the heat for a while.
The hot weather has affected much of the UK this week, with temperatures reaching a record-breaking 35.1C at Kew Gardens in London on Tuesday - the highest May temperature ever recorded in Britain.
Meteorologists say the current conditions are particularly unusual because they are happening during spring, with temperatures in some areas sitting 10C to 15C above average for the time of year.
According to the Met Office, cooler conditions are expected to arrive in some parts of the country later this week with a predicted drop to 21 degrees toward the end of this week and back in to the high teens for the new school term.
