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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wish the shops weren't so overheated

103 replies

hiddenhome · 13/12/2011 16:45

Not so much shopping centres, but just the ordinary high street shops and supermarkets.

I venture out all muffled up then end up boiling in the shops. The opticians was 20 degrees yesterday and I had a wool jumper on Confused I know the staff have to be kept reasonably warm, but they're all pottering round in short sleeved shirts Hmm Why can't it be about 16 degrees or so and they can have sweaters on?

Sainsburys don't have heating on and it's fine shopping in there. Morrisons is as hot as the bars of hell Sad Just think of all the money they could save just by dropping it a few degrees.

AIBU?

OP posts:
nancy75 · 14/12/2011 20:16

op - have you ever thought of taking off your coat when you go in a shop?
It seems that you want shops to be the correct temp for you when you are wearing outdoor clothing - should the staff all wear coats all day, or be cold?
17 is too cold for a work environment.

Panzee · 14/12/2011 20:30

I do sometimes find it tricky to carry a coat, my hat, a scarf and my purchases. That's why I would prefer to wear my clothes.

nancy75 · 14/12/2011 20:39

Panzee - if you don't want to take off your coat how do you suggest any shop makes it the right temp for you , wearing a hat coat and scarf and at the same time warm enough for the staff, who don't tend to wear their hat, scarf and coat all day? I am truly interested to know how shops are supposed to achieve this?

Panzee · 14/12/2011 20:44

Last time I went to M&S the staff were sweating too.

nancy75 · 14/12/2011 20:46

but even if m&s turned the heating down so that the staff (who weren't wearing hat coat and scarf i would guess?) were comfortable, it would still be too hot for people wearing all of their outdoor clothes.

winterfox · 14/12/2011 20:49

you must all be on the change Grin

i find most shops nice and warm not hot at all Grin

BleurghUna · 14/12/2011 21:02

nancy75 Wed 14-Dec-11 20:16:01
op - have you ever thought of taking off your coat when you go in a shop?

The problem with carrying your coat is security staff think you could be a shoplifter, because shoplifters hide stolen goods under their coats.
Also, you don't have a spare arm to carry purchases.

nancy75 · 14/12/2011 21:06

BleurghUna - I have been a retail manager for 18 years, people taking their coat off is not the first thing security staff look for when looking out for shoplifters

BleurghUna · 14/12/2011 21:12

They should turn the heating down to 16/17C, and with the money they save on heating they could provide staff with warm clothing, and keep doors closed as much as possible - it's such a waste all that heat going outside!

Meglet · 14/12/2011 21:15

YABU. People work in shops and 17 is way too cold.

I hated winters in my old work-place. We'd be layered up like Michelin men Sad Angry. And we'd still be cold.

smartyparts · 14/12/2011 21:17

YABU, I wish the outside wasn't so underheated!

I'm always freezing. I almost cry if I have to go in the chilled aisles.

nancy75 · 14/12/2011 21:19

According to the HSE the temp in the work place should be an absolute minimum of 16, I really don't get why people can't understand that you feel hotter because you are wearing a coat! Staff don't wear their coats all day.

nancy75 · 14/12/2011 21:23

in addition if the fitting rooms were kept at 16c, nobody would try anything on because they would be too cold

BleurghUna · 14/12/2011 22:28

Online shopping is the way to go!

Original poster
hiddenhome · 14/12/2011 22:48

Hmm limited

Increased temperatures in buildings will lead to increased humidity which will help to spread viruses. I never said anything about "dangerous viruses" Hmm

If stores aren't properly ventilated then a combination of increased temperature and increased humidity will help to spread viruses due to poor air quality.

OP posts:
A1980 · 14/12/2011 22:50

Yanbu, I don't know why they do this, most people will have coats on and when you go into an overheated shop it is so off putting.

Seriously? But the staff dont have overcoats on. Would you like them to freeze or have the shop temperature at 5 degrees and have them wear overcoats.

A1980 · 14/12/2011 22:52

Our heating broke down at work yesterday and it was uncomfortably freezing cold. Frozen hands, stiff joints when you sit still, drinks go cold in 5 minutes. You can't have staff working in that.

limitedperiodonly · 14/12/2011 22:54

hidden online shopping seems the ideal solution for you.

You and DH can cosy up around the stove in your bobble hats and leave the rest of us to dice with humidity, viral load and human contact.

mamaLou13 · 14/12/2011 22:54

i think connor is actually agreeing with everyone!!?!

baubleybobbityhat · 14/12/2011 22:57

Yanbu. I have to go home after a certain while in my nearest shopping centre. It just gets too sweaty and unbearable. I was there Christmas shopping last week and decided to do an entirely unscientific and unsubstantiated poll:

99% of people were wearing their outdoor clothes; coats, scarves, Uggs, etc, even though we were all indoors.

Reason being the most people do a mixture of outdoor shopping and indoor shopping and go from shop to shop and from car or bus to shop.

It isn't possible to set out for a winter shopping trip without warm clothing in the UK so why do shops pretend that you can?

oldnewmummy · 14/12/2011 23:02

Perhaps the larger stores could have cloakrooms where you could deposit coats etc. plus shopping bags while you shop in comfort.

CarrieInAnotherTWOBabiTWINS · 14/12/2011 23:06

Lol at the whiners on this thread. Bloody hell imagine if you lived somewhere with extreme weather conditions.

ImpOfThePerverse · 14/12/2011 23:12

YANBU Most supermarkets are a reasonable temperature because of the chilled sections and the till staff survive working there, I don't understand why staff in clothes shops would need to be kept so much warmer.

I hate roasting even once I've taken my coat off, I hate trying on clothes when I'm getting all sticky and sweaty. I also hate that chilled feeling when you enter an ice cold shop in summer.

2rebecca · 14/12/2011 23:40

YANBU in winter everyone is wrapped up and I just want to escape from a shop asap if I start overheating. Get the salesfolk some jumpers. If supermarkets can be a sensible temp so can other shops. It will save their fuel bills and help the environment as well.

lazydog · 15/12/2011 02:51

CarrieInAnotherTWOBabiTWINS Are you including me amongst "the whiners" because I don't like hot shops? If so, I do live "somewhere with extreme weather conditions." I'd call going from -45C in the Winter to +35C in the Summer pretty extreme, anyway...but we cope! Grin

However I still think shopping centres and the majority of stores are far too warm. I don't, personally, agree with the OP's 16C suggestion, but I think that 20C would be fine. I definitely remember many UK high street stores being far hotter than that in the Wintertime...and Canada's preferred 26-28C(ish) is just bloody ridiculous!!

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