Giant Yorkshire ice cube factory working 24/7 to cool down Britain during 'exceptional' summer

Europe’s biggest ice factory says the 2026 British summer has been “exceptional” as it continues to churn out tonnes of its frozen cubes to keep up with customers desperate for any relief from the relentless heatwaves.

The Ice Co has been working 24/7 through the summer months as it faced unprecedented demand for ice cubes it makes in the billions at its plant in South Kirkby, West Yorkshire.

Sales director Nick Brennand said the planning process begins months before the peak of the summer, with the factory in full production in snowy January to make sure there is a month’s worth of supply in its freezing cold warehouse.

But the 140 staff then have to get ready to gear up for whatever the British summer serves up.

Mr Brennand said: “This year has been completely exceptional.”

He said: “I think we’re on heatwave number six? We’ve never had such a sustained period of hot weather.

“The good weather started in June and we’ve still got it now in the middle of August, and they’re talking about another one in September?

“Normally, we’ll get maybe two to four good weeks in a year, and now we’re looking at 14 to 15, which makes a big difference.”

Mr Brennand said: “What we don’t know is when it’s going to shine and for how long. Sometimes we have hot Easters, sometimes we have hot Septembers, and everything in between.”

He said: “We get to a point in May or June when we are very much in the lap of the gods. If the sun shines, and it’s 35 degrees tomorrow, orders can go up five or tenfold.”

Mr Brennand said around 85% of people still make their ice at home but, when a supermarket or hotel runs out, there is no other product that can replace it.

He said: “If you’re in a pub or a restaurant and they start rationing ice in your G&T on a Friday night, it’s not particularly nice. You want a nice cold drink.”

He said the normally challenging environment of The Ico Co warehouse at South Kirkby has been a haven for some on the hottest days over the last few weeks.

Mr Brennand said: “Believe me, everybody in the office have gone wandering into the warehouse for 10 minutes to cool down, because it’s minus 18 in there.

“If it’s warm outside, there’s no nicer place to be for five or 10 minutes – but only five or 10 minutes.”

The company was founded in 1860 and is still run by the sixth generation of the Marr family, which started by providing ice for its fishing business.

It makes around six billion ice cubes a year.