That’s right, the experts have delivered their verdict and the results are in. It’s officially too hot for ice cream!

Shepherd’s, which is widely recognised as one of the best ice cream shops in the UK, has said it will close during the middle of the day for Wednesday and Thursday in order to protect its staff. They’ve been doing things the ‘Italian way’ all week.

Usually, at least in Britain, rain halts play during the afternoon. Having the sun interfere with daily life in this way is still relatively uncommon here and it is only the second time in history that a red warning has been issued for extreme heat.

All things considered, the first place many may rush to is the ice cream shop to cool down. But this time, it seems we’ll have to suck it up and live like the Europeans!

The store on Market Street has been opening in the morning at 10am for three hours, before closing again at 1pm. It then stays closed until 4pm to encourage everyone to protect themselves while the sun is at its strongest. The Spanish would just say they’re off for a siesta.

But fear not, for those who missed their fix in the day they can rock up again in the evening, when the shop reopens between 4pm and 7pm.

Is this just a reaction to another blip with the weather machine, or are we getting glimpse of how the Great British summer is going to look in the future?