Shoppers have been demanding ice from fish counters in Leeds Kirkgate Market while the “unbearable” heat prevails.
Stifling hot weather has kept shoppers away from the market, say traders, but many who have arrived have demanded the ice beneath the fish. Traders say they expect business get even worse when a temperatures in excess of 30C are predicted to rage across the city during the weekend as part of an ‘extreme’ weather warning.
Fishmonger Suzanne Lemming, who owns TE Bethell Best Quality Fish which is known for its 140-year-old pike on display, has said customers have demanded the ice from her counter to keep their purchased produce fresh.
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Suzanne said: “We get so many people asking for ice and then we tell them we haven’t got any. So they try to take it off the counter but that’s what our fish is sat on. My message to people is to bring a cooling box for fresh produce.”
But unfortunately the city-centre market has been faced with little trade during the heatwave. Suzanne said: “It’s very very hot, unbearably hot. It’s been very very quiet, nobody’s about. A good 50 per cent less people.
“We’ve had the bus strikes, train strikes and now we’ve got the hot weather. Less people come out when its hot. Once there’s a bad weather warning once its hot or cold weather, people stay in.”
'It's hot'
Butcher John Paul Johnston, who owns J.P. Johnston’s Butchers, has said the hot weather is keeping customers away. John said: “We need all the help we can get. Everyone’s short on money but we have to keep going.
“Footfall is down and this hot weather isn’t helping. It’s keeping everyone away. They don’t want to come into a big warm building like this, do they? It’s hot. Hot weather definitely puts people off coming in.
“People will come in cold weather as they can wrap up but it’s too hot for them in here.”
He’s assured customer his meat has not been affected by the hot temperatures however, as his produce is stored in enclosed cabinets which retain the cold.
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