The UK’s warmest summer on record has produced mixed results for businesses in south-west England and the Channel Islands, with some traders reporting higher visitor numbers and stronger demand for food and drink, while others say prolonged dry conditions cut output.
Provisional Met Office figures put the mean temperature for June, July and August at 16.5C (61.7F), the highest in a series stretching back to 1884. The Met Office said on 1 September that the figure was 1.9C above the 1991-2020 average and beat the previous record of 16.1C set in 2025, according to its summer 2026 statement. Rainfall over the three months was 195.4mm, 77 per cent of the seasonal average.
Meteorologists in Jersey and Guernsey confirmed both islands had their warmest summers on record, with average temperatures of 20.5C (68.9F) in Jersey and 18.9C (66.2F) in Guernsey.
The Avon Inn in Avonwick, Devon, reported a rise in trade after adding more outdoor seating. Manager Eda Iannone said the pub had seen “a fantastic summer for footfall”.
“We took a lot more bookings and we put a lot more outside events on with confidence, knowing that with the UK being weather dependent, they would go well,” she said.
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