Record breaking heat hits Margate's beaches

On the hottest ever May 1st, locals and tourists tell us how they like to enjoy the heat.  Kristin Hawthorne reports.

Transcript

00:00As global warming becomes more and more present in our daily lives, days like today really

00:05show the impact of climate change.

00:08People in the UK usually don't expect high temperatures until the summer time, but the

00:12heat today has got people out on the beach and sunbathing.

00:15The weather is perfect, we escape, we have day off, we say why not.

00:19See it's beautiful, it'll be cold but it's really nice.

00:22To the moment I really enjoy it, I like it, I hope it continues like this.

00:26I don't feel it is very hot, I think it's 20 degrees, 22 degrees, but it feels like

00:31it's more hot because of the humidity but I think it's not yet, it's only the first day

00:37of the year when it's the most hot now.

00:39When it's holiday time I don't stay too much at the Margate Beach, I go to Westgate, more

00:43quiet places because now it's alright, I think everybody's at work, that's why it's not busy,

00:47maybe after three o'clock afternoon, people coming back home from work so.

00:52I wouldn't walk about in it for too long, but it's nice if you can go in your garden,

00:57but I wouldn't spend the day on the beach, not for me, it's a bit too hot.

01:02Apparently it's only ever a day or two and it's going back to being chilly the weekend.

01:07You were saying it was quite cold and this is the first time.

01:10It's been freezing in Herne Bay and Margate because I look at the weather every day,

01:14my daughter lives in Margate and it's been really cold, like fleece, fleece and under fleece, yeah.

01:23It is the first of May today and here in Margate temperatures have reached highs

01:27of 26 degrees. There are people out sunbathing and building sun castles, but isn't all fun and games.

01:33No, no, the hot weather doesn't help us at all really. It brings people to the area,

01:40but unfortunately they are on there as opposed to in here. For us as an industry what we need is we need

01:50a nice day forecast and then the forecasters get it wrong because when people are in Margate and they're

01:55on the beach and the weather turns a little bit, the first thing they do is end up coming straight into

02:00the arcades for cover and what have you. So they're here for the day. It's like, well,

02:05we'll be on the beach. If we can't go on the beach, well, let's go in the arcade. So that's what works

02:08better for us. Even though the summer has seemingly come early this year, one business says it's not

02:14enough and that the cost of living has affected how people can enjoy their time come rain or shine.

02:20Kristin Hawthorne for KMTV in Margate.