James Wong, owner of the historic Chung Ying restaurant in Birmingham's Chinatown, has declared that the end of the UK heatwave 'will be a Godsend' for the hospitality sector. The city experienced its hottest June on record this week, with temperatures soaring to 34C, and the heat is expected to persist until a forecast drop to 23C on Sunday.
Investment in cooling systems pays off
Last month, Wong invested approximately £15,000 in a new kitchen ventilation system and upgrades, including additional fridges. While these improvements have made his kitchen one of the coolest in Chinatown, the extreme heat has deterred diners from using the restaurant's outdoor seating area.
Wong explained the dilemma: 'It's a catch-22 in Birmingham because people don't eat outside if it's too cold, or if it's too hot.' He noted that the outdoor space has been largely empty during the heatwave, impacting business.
Staff coping well despite heat
Despite the challenging conditions, Wong reported that his kitchen staff are managing well. 'It was cooler in our kitchen than it was in the streets. There was never a risk of us closing yesterday, June 25,' he said. 'Our staff are from South East Asia so are fine in this weather, some are wearing long sleeve shirts and jackets. I said they don't have to wear this, but they said they're OK. One lad's from Indonesia and he isn't feeling this weather at all.'
Wong himself struggled with the heat while performing tasks outside the restaurant. 'My van was baking on Wednesday because I was out buying stock for the restaurant. When I got back into the van, it was super hot, even with air conditioning.'
Looking forward to cooler weather
Wong is optimistic about the forecast temperature drop. 'Sunday will be a Godsend for hospitality because hopefully people will come back and support the industry.' He added that the heat pushed him to purchase two extra fridges to cope with the extreme conditions.
Chung Ying, located at 16-18 Wrottesley Street, Birmingham, B5 4RT, is the city's oldest Cantonese restaurant and a staple of the Chinatown community.
