Garstang pub The Wheatsheaf stops serving food in heat wave due to unsafe working conditions for chefs

A pub in Garstang has stopped serving food during the heat wave to spare chefs from the sizzling temperatures in its kitchen.

The Wheatsheaf in Garstang said food will be off the menu until at least Friday for the “safety and wellbeing” of its staff.

“We simply don't feel that we can provide a safe working environment under the current conditions,” explained the pub’s management in a Facebook post on Wednesday.

They quipped: “To put things into perspective, our chefs have spent the morning debating whether they're at work or accidentally training for a marathon in the Sahara.”

‘Difficult decision - but safety of team comes first’

They said: “After assessing the conditions in our kitchen this morning, we've made the difficult decision to close the kitchen today and tomorrow.

“The temperature is already sitting at 34°C, and that's before we've switched on any of the equipment that actually produces heat. Once the ovens, grills and fryers are running, temperatures become significantly higher.

“The safety and wellbeing of our team will always come first, and we simply don't feel that we can provide a safe working environment under the current conditions.

“We know this may disappoint some of you, and we sincerely apologise for any inconvenience.

“The bar will remain open as normal, serving cold drinks, ice-cold lager and anything else we can find that isn't trying to melt.

“To put things into perspective, our chefs have spent the morning debating whether they're at work or accidentally training for a marathon in the Sahara.

“Thank you for your understanding and support. We'll keep an eye on conditions and update everyone as soon as possible.

“Stay cool, stay hydrated, and if you're standing directly in front of a fan today, we completely understand.”

You can follow The Wheatsheaf on Facebook here.