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| Hot weather sparks Welsh summer sales rise | Hot weather sparks Welsh summer sales rise |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| Soaring summer temperatures are helping boost the Welsh economy with stores reporting huge sales of seasonal goods and holidaymakers booking breaks. | Soaring summer temperatures are helping boost the Welsh economy with stores reporting huge sales of seasonal goods and holidaymakers booking breaks. |
| Shops say items such as paddling pools, barbecues and outdoor furniture are being snapped up, while major events are enjoying bumper visitor numbers. | Shops say items such as paddling pools, barbecues and outdoor furniture are being snapped up, while major events are enjoying bumper visitor numbers. |
| Llangollen's international eisteddfod, which runs until Sunday, has recorded a 40% rise in visitors. | Llangollen's international eisteddfod, which runs until Sunday, has recorded a 40% rise in visitors. |
| Temperatures could hit nearly 30C (86F) in parts of Wales this weekend. | Temperatures could hit nearly 30C (86F) in parts of Wales this weekend. |
| Shops, supermarkets and online retailers say demand for summer goods is significantly higher than last year, when July saw unseasonably heavy rainfall and floods. | Shops, supermarkets and online retailers say demand for summer goods is significantly higher than last year, when July saw unseasonably heavy rainfall and floods. |
| Department store John Lewis in Cardiff said sales of outdoor furniture and barbecues had climbed more than three-fold. | Department store John Lewis in Cardiff said sales of outdoor furniture and barbecues had climbed more than three-fold. |
| Fashion accessories have also performed well, increasing 74% on last year, with sunglasses especially popular. | Fashion accessories have also performed well, increasing 74% on last year, with sunglasses especially popular. |
| "This week's hot weather has resulted in good sales for all things summer," said Chris Earnshaw, managing director at the Cardiff store. | "This week's hot weather has resulted in good sales for all things summer," said Chris Earnshaw, managing director at the Cardiff store. |
| "Outdoor furniture and barbecues have been extremely popular this week, with sales increasing by an amazing 340% versus last year. | "Outdoor furniture and barbecues have been extremely popular this week, with sales increasing by an amazing 340% versus last year. |
| "Recent sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Lions tour have encouraged customers to get active outdoors with sports equipment seeing sales increase by 60% against last year." | "Recent sporting events such as Wimbledon and the Lions tour have encouraged customers to get active outdoors with sports equipment seeing sales increase by 60% against last year." |
| Morrisons said it expected sales of burgers to rise by 500% this weekend with the weather ripe for barbeques. | Morrisons said it expected sales of burgers to rise by 500% this weekend with the weather ripe for barbeques. |
| Christopher Ellis from the supermarket said: "We expect to sell 300,000 burgers this week and we expect to sell 700,000 packs of sausages over the weekend." | Christopher Ellis from the supermarket said: "We expect to sell 300,000 burgers this week and we expect to sell 700,000 packs of sausages over the weekend." |
| Online retail giant Amazon, which has a large distribution warehouse in Swansea, reported huge rises in sales of summer stock. | Online retail giant Amazon, which has a large distribution warehouse in Swansea, reported huge rises in sales of summer stock. |
| It said demand for paddling pools had gone up by more than 800% compared to July last year, while sprinkler and outdoor furniture sales were both up by more than 500%. | It said demand for paddling pools had gone up by more than 800% compared to July last year, while sprinkler and outdoor furniture sales were both up by more than 500%. |
| Elsewhere, it is shaping up to be a good summer for ice cream producers and sellers. | Elsewhere, it is shaping up to be a good summer for ice cream producers and sellers. |
| Mary Hursey of Mary's Farmhouse, a sorbet and ice cream maker in Crymych, Pembrokeshire, said demand had increased 30% in comparison to this time last year. | Mary Hursey of Mary's Farmhouse, a sorbet and ice cream maker in Crymych, Pembrokeshire, said demand had increased 30% in comparison to this time last year. |
| "We are distributing 3,000 litres (of ice cream) a week instead of 2,000 litres," said Mrs Hursey, whose company has 400 customers and 11 staff. | "We are distributing 3,000 litres (of ice cream) a week instead of 2,000 litres," said Mrs Hursey, whose company has 400 customers and 11 staff. |
| Dangerous | Dangerous |
| "Obviously, we have been busy and everybody has had to work a little bit harder. | "Obviously, we have been busy and everybody has had to work a little bit harder. |
| "We employ students to help us over the summer and last year we hired one, but this year we have three." | "We employ students to help us over the summer and last year we hired one, but this year we have three." |
| The Wales Tourism Alliance said last minute short breaks had been on the rise since the sun reappeared, with coastal and rural areas seeing most visitors. | The Wales Tourism Alliance said last minute short breaks had been on the rise since the sun reappeared, with coastal and rural areas seeing most visitors. |
| "This week we have had a really good rise in the bookings," said caravan park owner Tim McIlveen. | "This week we have had a really good rise in the bookings," said caravan park owner Tim McIlveen. |
| "We get a lot more people thinking about buying caravans and staying in the UK for their holidays. | "We get a lot more people thinking about buying caravans and staying in the UK for their holidays. |
| "Overall it's a very good story for the moment." | "Overall it's a very good story for the moment." |
| Outdoor events were also benefiting from the hot weather with Llangollen's international eisteddfod attracting a big increase in numbers compared to 2012. | |
| The Wakestock music festival near Abersoch, Gwynedd - which last year was a washout - and Cardiff's food and drink festival were hoping for a similar boost this weekend. | |
| And organisers of the Wales National Air Show in Swansea were hoping some 120,000 people will watch displays by the likes of the Red Arrows. | |
| Meanwhile, Jen McDonald of Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, Conwy, said it was coming up with innovative ways of keeping its animals cool in the hot weather. | Meanwhile, Jen McDonald of Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay, Conwy, said it was coming up with innovative ways of keeping its animals cool in the hot weather. |
| "Our chimps, spider monkeys, lemurs, gibbons and European brown bears are all receiving cool treats," she said. | "Our chimps, spider monkeys, lemurs, gibbons and European brown bears are all receiving cool treats," she said. |
| "They're not ice lollies as such but fruit encased in iced water. They get the goodness of the fruit and the iced water keeps them cool. | "They're not ice lollies as such but fruit encased in iced water. They get the goodness of the fruit and the iced water keeps them cool. |
| "Sprinklers are on and the animal enclosures are hosed down daily and there's shade for them to relax in too." | "Sprinklers are on and the animal enclosures are hosed down daily and there's shade for them to relax in too." |
| Ms McDonald said the zoo's visitor numbers had increased too. | Ms McDonald said the zoo's visitor numbers had increased too. |
| "Visitors are up 16% on this time last year and in the first week of July alone we had 40 groups of visitors," she added. | "Visitors are up 16% on this time last year and in the first week of July alone we had 40 groups of visitors," she added. |
| Meanwhile, Wales' chief vet Dr Christianne Glossop has issued advice to pet owners as the heat wave continues. | Meanwhile, Wales' chief vet Dr Christianne Glossop has issued advice to pet owners as the heat wave continues. |
| "We may be enjoying the hot summer and spending time in the sunshine but we need to remember that the high temperatures can be dangerous for pets so we need to take extra care of them as the heat continues," she warned. | "We may be enjoying the hot summer and spending time in the sunshine but we need to remember that the high temperatures can be dangerous for pets so we need to take extra care of them as the heat continues," she warned. |
| She said dogs still needed walking but they had to be shorter and more leisurely walks where possible, and owners should avoid taking them out during the hottest part of the day. | She said dogs still needed walking but they had to be shorter and more leisurely walks where possible, and owners should avoid taking them out during the hottest part of the day. |
| She said pets should not be left alone in a car during the summer, even with a window open, and all pets must have plenty of clean, fresh water to drink. | She said pets should not be left alone in a car during the summer, even with a window open, and all pets must have plenty of clean, fresh water to drink. |