Nuneaton fish and chip shop closing due to heatwave safety concerns

Stuart Cooper is still paying his staff while the business is shut

A fish and chip shop owner has said it will remain shut until the heatwave is over.

Stuart Cooper runs Five Star Fish Bar in Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and said it has been "very uncomfortable" working in the heat.

Extreme heat warnings are in place until Friday. On Tuesday temperatures hit 32.2C (89.9F) at Heathrow Airport, making it the hottest day of the year.

Mr Cooper said temperatures reached 42.8C (109F) in the shop on Monday.

Fish, chips, mushy peas and a side of sweat?

"Even with all the extraction on and a large fan on, it just wasn't shifting the heat. It's easily an extra 20 degrees in the shop compared to what it is outside," he said.

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He said the temperature of 42.8C recorded on Monday was more than an hour after equipment had been turned off, and said the conditions had simply become "not safe" for staff.

"They are all happy with the decision [to close] and they're not going to lose any money out of it," Mr Cooper said.

"I'll make sure they will receive their full wages, it's not their fault. It's just sort of my way of saying thanks to them and showing them a bit of appreciation as well. It's not all about the money at the end of the day.

"You've got deep fat fryers going, you've got ovens going, just the general heat anyway. It's not really like you can cool any of it down."