- Extreme heat pushed some high street shops to shorten trading hours or close.
- Dorchester launches support scheme for cooling equipment ahead of future heatwaves.
- Retailers say soaring temperatures kept customers away and hit sales.
The UK heatwave is beginning to take a visible toll on the high street, with a number of independent businesses reducing trading hours or temporarily closing as record temperatures kept shoppers indoors. Retailers say the extreme weather not only made working conditions difficult but also led to a sharp drop in customer footfall.
According to a report by the BBC, several businesses in Dorchester, Dorset, either shortened opening hours or shut their doors on the hottest days of June after temperatures inside shops became difficult to manage. The UK recorded its warmest June on record, with temperatures reaching 37.7C, while another spell of hot weather is expected in the coming days.
When the heat keeps customers away
Dorchester, home to more than 200 independent businesses, saw many shops remain open despite the conditions, but others decided staying open simply was not worth the cost.
Phil Gordon, project director of Dorchester Business Improvement District (BID), reportedly said the biggest challenge was not businesses refusing to trade but customers choosing to stay at home because of the heat.
To help retailers prepare for future heatwaves, the BID has introduced a scheme offering a 20 per cent subsidy on portable air conditioning units and electric fans. Gordon reportedly said some businesses may not be able to afford air conditioning systems costing around £1,000, but smaller cooling solutions could make a noticeable difference for both staff and customers.
Retailers search for ways to stay cool
Shop owners described working conditions as increasingly difficult during the hottest days of June.
Suzy Conway, who runs Every Cloud in Dorchester, reportedly said she decided to close her shop because there were very few customers and the heat inside the premises had become unbearable. She added, as quoted in the report, that despite the building's thick walls, there was no air conditioning to keep the shop comfortable.
Sandra Jordan, owner of a local jewellery shop, reportedly said the intense sunshine became so severe that display busts in the shop window started melting. To reduce indoor temperatures, the business installed reflective strips across its windows.
Jordan also said footfall across the town fell significantly during the heatwave, particularly as many of Dorset's older residents chose not to venture outside.
Another member of staff at the jewellery shop reportedly described the conditions inside as stifling, explaining that even opening the back doors failed to create any airflow. She added, as quoted in the report, that many businesses along the high street eventually closed because the heat had become too difficult to work through.
With forecasters expecting another period of unusually high temperatures, many retailers are now preparing for further disruption, while local business groups are looking at practical ways to help shops remain open during future heatwaves.
