Shropshire shops say heatwave fan-tastic for sales

With the mercury hitting 27 degrees centigrade, and not expected to dip below 25 degrees centigrade (78.8 degrees Fahrenheit) until Sunday, many shops have been unable to keep up with demand.

Matt Nye, sales assistant at Prince's Electrical in Wem, said: "We have seen an increase, and to be honest we just haven't got the stock. All our suppliers have run out and it doesn't look hopeful that we'll be getting in any more for a while now.

"We sold all the ones we had last week and we still have a few people in each day asking for them, but we just can't get any in. It happened last year as well."

Andy Edge, shop manager at Barlows Electrical in Ellesmere, said: "We have seen a real increase in fan sales, especially on Wednesday.

"We've sold two in the last half an hour and only got the order in an hour ago.

"It's tricky because if we order too many in we'll have stock sitting around for the rest of the year, but if we don't order enough then the suppliers will run out and we won't be able to get them.

"It's all dependent on the weather, obviously, but you just can't plan for it."

Avril Broad, director of Power Point Stores in Oakengates, said this past week had seen record sales of fans.

"We sold about 80 fans and are now completely out of stock," she said.

The demand is so great the the shop is struggling to find new suppliers. The only ones available cost £45 and Avril said that was too expensive for her customers.

And Telford firm Lockwell Electrical Distributors is also running out of stock and finding it difficult to order replacements.

Lewis Walford, 19, who works at the shop in Stafford Park, said 18" free standing fans were the most popular with customers.

As a result the company's suppliers were also running out.

It was the same story at DBM Electrical, in Halesfield, Telford, where a surge in demand has left just 10 fans still in stock.

Anthony Mason, 35, said people tended to buy first from large retailers such as Argos and Curry's, only looking at independent shops when the retail giants have run out.

Aaron Roby, sales assistant at Ludlow Homecare, said he couldn't put a figure on how many fans had been sold but added: "We have been selling quite a lot more – we've sold out and the supplier's sold out."

Phil Maile, manager of Rickard's of Ludlow said there had been a rush to buy fans, but it had been slightly delayed as people realised the heatwave was set to go on.

"We don't sell a lot of fans, but we've sold half a dozen in the last couple of days. Especially this morning – it's obviously getting to people now," he said.

Sherrie Warke, sales manager of Pound-Stretcher, Market Drayton, said: "We have seen a massive increase, particularly last week when it's been the hottest. Almost all of them have sold out, the tall fans and compact ones, even the hand held fans are selling really well.

"It's very hard to get them off suppliers now, and this year has seen a real increase since last summer."

Nikki Whitaker, customer service manager of Argos, Market Drayton, said: "We haven't noticed a real increase and that's probably only because we haven't run out.

"But with the sell-out we had last year I think they just prepared a bit better."

Maplin, in Shrewsbury has sold about 30 fans and is now out of stock.