Temperatures across the UK have been hotting up this week and there’s nothing Brits love more than a BBQ in the back garden during the summertime.
We’ve had the hottest day of the year so far recorded twice this week and it’s truly started to feel like summer.
As we head into July and the further lifting of lockdown restrictions on 4th July edges closer and closer, there’s definitely a smell of barbecues on the horizon and if you’re looking to take your BBQ game up a couple of notches, then we’ve found some must-have tools and equipment pieces on Amazon that are pretty cost-effective and definitely worth getting your hands on.
If you’re going to have a BBQ, you might as well have a bloody good one, right?
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BBQ Stainless Steel Tool Set
Amazon / Fixget
This 20-piece set really is the ultimate all-round BBQ starter kit.
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It comes with all you need to get right into grilling in just one package and is manufactured with premium quality stainless steel to make it a worthwhile purchase that’s long-lasting under the right care instruction. It’s a sturdy and durable set that won’t bend, break or rust and is really easy to clean up after using too.
The set comes with BBQ tongs, a BBQ fork, skewers, grill brushes and more, and is retailing at £20.39 + postage/packaging.
You can get your hands on the Fixget 20Pcs BBQ Tool Sethere.
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BBQ Tools Apron Set
Amazon / NJ
If you’re looking for convenience and you’re also prone to a spillage or two when cooking up a feast, then you really need look no further than this 2-in-1 BBQ Apron / Tools Set.
This set is perfect for all budding outdoor chefs and it comes with a spatula, fork, tongs, cotton glove and salt & pepper shakers, all which sit in their own individual compartments of a heavy-gauge nylon apron. The apron also has adjustable locking fasteners and extra built-in storage pockets too.
It’s retailing at £24.90 + postage/packaging and is also eligible for Amazon Prime delivery perks too for those subscribed to the service.
You can get your hands on the NJ 7Pcs BBQ Grill Apronhere.
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Heat Resistant BBQ Gloves
Amazon / AOMEES
The ideal purchase for the accident prone amongst us – we all know one.
Sitting firmly at #1 on top of Amazon’s Best Seller list, these BBQ gloves are specially designed to not only be resistant to extreme heat, but they’re also resistant to cuts too. They’re non-toxic, anti-slip, flexible and are perfect for all types of outdoor grilling and barbecuing
They’re retailing at £12.49 + postage/packaging and they’re eligible for Amazon Prime delivery perks too for those subscribed to the service.
You can get your hands on the AOMEES BBQ Gloveshere.
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XL Heavy Duty Grill Tongs
Amazon / Mountain Grillers
If you’re pretty serious about upping your BBQ game, these is what you need to be forking out for.
The heavy duty grilling tongs are extra long extra long metal tongs with a non-slip grip. The quality design allows for easy handling at safe distances from the flame and the varying size gives your tong set the versatility that all great grill masters look for in their tools.
You get x2 tongs in this set – a 12″ pair and a 16″ pair.
They’re retailing at £9.69 and they’re eligible for FREE delivery too at the moment, so that’s worth taking advantage of.
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You can get your hands on the Mountain Grillers Heavy Duty Grill Tongshere.
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Beer Bucket / Drinks Cooler
Amazon / Bar Craft
If the temperatures are hotting up, then let’s make sure the drinks are ice cold.
This large acrylic bucket is ideal for chilling bottles of beer, wine, champagne and soft drinks. It has a huge 10 litre capacity, twin handles for easy lifting, and the tub is tough enough to be used for all BBQ’s, parties and get-togethers with confidence.
It’s retailing at £16.96 + postage/packaging, is listed as an Amazon’s Choice product and is eligible for Amazon Prime delivery perks too for those subscribed to the service.
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You can get your hands on the BarCraft Large Drinks Coolerhere.
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Cool Plate
Amazon / Tomorrow’s Kitchen
If you’re going to be spending prolonged periods of time outside whilst you’re barbecuing, which of course you are – it’s summer – then this ‘cool plate’ is perfect for keeping food fresh.
It’s ideal for meat, poultry, fish, cheese, cakes, salad and many other foods that require low temperatures.
It includes a removable cooling element that is stored in the freezer for six hours, before being applied to the stainless steel plate, in order to keep food as fresh as possible and ready to serve whenever.
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It’s retailing at £34.70 + postage/packaging, is listed as an Amazon’s Choice product and is eligible for Amazon Prime delivery perks too for those subscribed to the service.
You can get your hands on the Tomorrow’s Kitchen Cool Platehere.
News
Teen sentenced after deliberately driving into a female police officer in Stockport
Emily Sergeant
A teen who deliberately drove into a female police officer at a retail park Stockport earlier this year has been sentenced.
Harvey Bell was at a retail park on Wilmslow Road in Cheadle back on 25 January 2025 when he seriously injured a Greater Manchester Police (GMP) officer during a shocking incident – which left the officer requiring hospital treatment.
At the time, the 19-year-old from Knutsford was present while police were investigating reports of class C drug use in a car park.
Police parked in front of an Audi and the officer signalled for Bell to remain stationary and turn the engine off, but instead he reversed, and as the officer approached the front windscreen, Bell drove at the officer, knocking her to the ground.
He then proceeded to drive over her legs with both sets of wheels, before heading out of the car park at speed.
#JAILED | A man who deliberately drove into a police officer in Stockport has been jailed.
Harvey Bell (12/08/2005) has been sentenced to 31 months in a Young Offenders Institute and was disqualified from driving for two years.
— Stockport Police (GMP) (@GMPStockport) June 4, 2025
Bell was subsequently arrested the following day and made no comment in his police interview, but then went on to plead guilty to causing serious injury by dangerous driving, as well as possession of cannabis on 27 March 2025.
The teen appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to 31 months in a Young Offenders Institute, and was also disqualified from driving for two years – which will take effect when he is released.
“What [Bell] did to me is permanently in the back of my mind, every call I go to, I feel the apprehension, the fear that any incident, no matter how innocuous it appears, can end with being assaulted or hurt,” the officer explained in a powerful victim impact statement read in court.
“This is an unseen result of Bell’s assault on me.”
She continued: “I know that Bell’s abhorrent behaviour is an exception, and the majority of the public we serve do not wish us harm, but assaults on police need to stop. An attack on a police officer is an attack on us all.
“Bell is a danger to society and had total disregard for my life.”
Featured Image – GMP
News
IKEA announces decision to close popular Greater Manchester site
Emily Sergeant
It’s the end of the road for one of IKEA’s popular Greater Manchester sites.
The Swedish furniture giant has announced its decision to close its ‘Plan and Order Point’ over in Stockport in a couple of weeks time.
The store – which is located in Stockport town centre’s Merseyway Shopping Centre – launched to huge success back in March 2023, and at the time, was the second of this ‘test and trial’ format to open in the UK, becoming a smaller space dedicated to kitchen and home planning, as well as ordering items.
IKEA says the closure comes as a result of ‘valuable learnings’ which plan to take this conceptual format in a direction to ‘better suit the needs of UK customers’.
IKEA is closing its close popular Stockport site this month / Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)
Since the opening of the Stockport Plan and Order Point, IKEA claims it has seen an increased demand for Click and Collect services, a desire by customers to shop a smaller selection of home furnishing accessories, as well as the ability to return goods to physical IKEA units, and this is all something which the current location is unable to offer.
Learning from this change in consumer habits, the company says its future Plan and Order Point openings – including in those in other northern cities like Hull and York – will offer these services.
IKEA says it also remains ‘committed’ to trialling new formats, such as its upcoming small stores, one of which will open in nearby Chester later this year.
Luckily for IKEA fans, the retailer has confirmed that its major Greater Manchester store in Ashton-under-Lyne, as well as the neighbouring store in Warrington, will remain open as normal, offering all the services available at Stockport and more.
The Swedish furniture says the closure comes as a result of ‘valuable learnings’ about customer needs / Credit: Jon Super (via IKEA)
In addition to the upcoming opening of a smaller store in Chester, IKEA has revealed that the North West continues to be an area of interest for future expansion.
“After careful evaluation, we’ve made the difficult decision to close the IKEA Plan and Order Point at Merseyway Shopping Centre,” explained Salma Azad, who is one of IKEA’s Area Managers.
“In the two years since opening, we’ve taken valuable learnings, including how our customers prefer to meet IKEA, and we’ll take these insights into future openings, to serve shoppers in a more impactful way.”
Thanks to last year’s Click and Collect expansion, Stockport residents can now pick up purchases from Tesco Extra Stockport and Tesco Extra Stretford, as well as the Manchester store and the upcoming small store in Chester.
Stockport Plan and Order Point’s final day of trading will be on 16 June.