Authorities have issued safety warnings to members of the public intending to travel to beaches this weekend as temperates are forecast to reach the mid-high 30°Cs in some parts of the UK.
Public Health England, the Met Office and the RNLI have urged those heading to the beach over the next few days to take care as the country braces itself for a possible heatwave.
The Met Office has issued a heat health alert for parts of England into next week.
Whilst temperature highs across Greater Manchester are not expected to exceed 30°C over the next few days, parts of London and South West England are preparing to see rising temperates of 37°C until Sunday.
This would mean that parts of Britain could pass the threshold for an official heatwave.
The Met Office defines a heatwave as “an extended period of hot weather relative to the expected conditions of the area at that time of year, which may be accompanied by high humidity” and the heatwave threshold, which varies depending on location, is reached when daily maximum temperatures are met or exceeded for three consecutive days.
The UK recorded the hottest day of the year and the third warmest day on record last Friday, with temperatures rising to 37.8C at Heathrow Airport in London.
The RNLI’s latest safety warning comes after it reported its busiest day for more than four years, dealing with more than 300 incidents.
The institution is asking the public to please #BeBeachSafe
Ahead of this week’s sunny spell, Gareth Morrison – Head of Water Safety at the RNLI – said: “Our coastline is a fantastic place to spend time together as a family, especially when the sun is out and it’s hot, but there are also plenty of potential dangers, especially for those who aren’t fully aware of their surroundings and may be visiting a particular beach for the first time.”
“We are advising everyone planning a visit to a beach or the coast to follow beach safety advice.”
Heading to the beach this weekend? Please #BeBeachSafe and follow these simple steps to protect your loved ones: ? Keep an eye on your family ❎ Don't use inflatables ? ? In an emergency, dial 999 for the @HMCoastguard ? pic.twitter.com/NAIIX2uwEk
Ishani Kar-Purkayastha – Consultant in Public Health at Public Health England – added that: “Many of us welcome warmer weather, but some people may find it more difficult to cope. People recovering from COVID-19 at home, those who are self-isolating, older people and people with underlying health conditions are all more vulnerable during hot weather.”
“This summer, many of us are spending more time at home due to COVID-19. A lot of homes can overheat, so it’s important we continue to check on older people and those with underlying health conditions, particularly if they’re living alone and may be socially isolated.”
“If you need to provide direct care to someone at risk from hot weather… the most important advice is to ensure they stay hydrated, keep cool and know how to keep their homes cool.”
Warming up today but the heat really arrives tomorrow
Like last week not everywhere will experience the exceptional heat
The Met Office said there was a “low chance” that last week’s record temperature would be beaten again, but that large parts of the country would see “four or even five consecutive days of incredibly warm temperatures” before cold air moves in overnight on Sunday.
Conditions are expected to stay “hot and humid” next week with “chances of thundery showers”.
Commenting on how long the hot weather is expected to last, Chris Bulmer – Deputy Chief Meteorologist at the Met Office – said: “The hot airmass will remain over much of England and Wales until early next week, so we’ll continue to see maximum temperatures in the low to mid-30s Celsius as the heatwaves continues.”
Updated Greater Manchester and UK-wide forecasts can be found via the Met Office website here.
For further information and guidance amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, do refer to official sources via gov.uk/coronavirus.
#EnjoySummerSafely
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A sneak peek at the first pour: Greater Manchester celebrates the return of Boddingtons
Danny Jones
Greater Manchester has every reason to drink and jubilate this Friday and toast the perfect excuse for an early dart as the first fresh pours in a new chapter for Boddingtons beer have been sunk.
And by’eck if ain’t still bloody gorgeous.
That’s right, in case you didn’t hear the latest news about ‘Cream of Manchester’, we can now officially and ever-so gladly confirm that Boddingtons Bitter is properly back on draught in the region.
With the iconic cask ale making a glorious return decades on from its glory days in the 1990s, the new and improved Boddies beer is flowing from the taps – just in time for the weekend, no less.
Yes, with local brewery and pub chain J.W. Lees taking over the manufacturing and distribution, leaving the Budweiser Group to take over the licensing, the updated recipe Boddingtons – which clocks in at a 4.0% ABV – is about to be rolled out across the 10 boroughs.
Better yet, with five native pubs having already reinstalled honey yellow and black pumps, and with Lees looking to deliver it to the ale-loving masses across the North West, this could be the biggest Manc comeback since, well, those two lads from Burnage…
Speaking of: we were invited along to Founder’s Hall on Albert Square (formerly Duttons and now home to every one of the brand’s beers, not to mention serving as a tribute to John Lees himself), for a special ceremony to celebrate the inaugural public pints of Boddies being poured.
Let’s just say we were honoured to be part of the grand resurrection.
Obviously, there have been some holdouts hanging onto the classic Mancunian brew, and we certainly had fun trying to track them down over the past couple of years, but we’re just glad we don’t have to do as much work to find one now.
Managing Director of JW Lees, William Lees-Jones, said on the relaunch: “When I joined JW Lees in 1994, Boddingtons was ‘The Cream of Manchester’ and we were in awe of their position in leading the cask beer revolution.
“We’re proud to bring it back home, starting with Founder’s Hall, and we’re planning to restore Boddington’s as one of the UK’s leading premium cask beers, particularly here in the North West.” Well said, sir.
Available from Founder’s Hall, The Black Friar in Salford, Stables Tavern; Sams Chop House, The Circus Tavern, Oxford Road Tap, Piccadilly Tap and Victoria Tap from today, as well as Corbières and Stockport pubs like The Crown and The White Lion, we can’t wait to see Boddingtons take over the nation.
In the meantime, why not look back at the storied history behind one of our finest exports?
Subway launches make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ across UK
Emily Sergeant
Subway is finally launching its viral make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ at all its restaurants in the UK.
That’s right – you can now walk into any Greater Manchester Subway and order a jacket potato instead of a sandwich, and you get to choose exactly what goes on top of it.
Britain has always been a nation of ‘jacket fanatics’, with almost half of Brits claiming the spud to be a British cultural icon, but according to new research by Subway, it’s been found that nearly a quarter (23%) of us have argued with family and friends over how to prepare or serve one.
So it’s fair to say that, yes, us Brits do love ourselves a jacket potato, and this is why ‘Spudway’ is launching nationwide.
The UK-wide rollout of Spudway comes after it was trailed in select sites earlier this year, and then proved so popular that the trail was extended to include more locations.
Now, those fluffy jacket potatoes are available everywhere.
You can choose topping options like the simple Cheese & Beans or Tuna Mayo, or you can opt for Subway specialities like Meatball Marinara, and Chicken Tikka, but the beauty of Spudaway is it’s all fully customisable.
This means you can pick, quite simply, from whatever you fancy at the protein and salad counters, and finish it with your choice of Subway’s wide selection of signature sauces.
“The nation’s love of Jacket Potatoes is unparalleled,” commented Cathy Goodwin, who is the Interim Director of Culinary & Innovation Subway EMEA.
Subway has finally launched its make-your-own jacket potato concept ‘Spudway’ all across the UK / Credit: Subway
“The enthusiasm we’ve seen on social media and the strong demand from our guests throughout the trial made it clear that Spudway deserved a permanent place on our menu.
“Made with British potatoes, Irish salted butter, a double portion of cheese, and fully customisable with any of our many toppings, Spudway is the perfect freshly-made, high-quality lunch choice.”
Spudway jacket potatoes are freshly baked in-store daily and can be enjoyed on their own, or as part of a meal deal – which includes a spud, drink, plus crisps or a cookie.
The Manc -
7th August 2020 
