31 Aug 2026
Scorching temperatures, parched gardens, bone dry rivers, broken supermarket fridges – the toll of multiple heatwaves have impacted on communities across the district.
The past few months have been exceptionally hot, dry, and characterised by record-low rainfall and multiple severe heatwaves, with peak temperatures reaching or exceeding 38°C.
Although the weekend saw heavy rail across much of the district, the unprecedented period of hot weather over the summer has affected everything from farmers and tourist destinations to river levels and fruit falling early from trees.
But what if this isn’t an exceptional summer? What if this is the shape of things to come? How are we expected to cope with this new climate constant?
St Albans Green Party councillor Juliet Voisey said we need to see Government action now: “This summer has shown once again that the climate crisis isn’t a distant threat, it’s affecting communities like ours right now, from the parched leaves on the trees, to the hosepipe ban across the country, to local farmers struggling to keep crops growing, and to our River Ver at a very low level.
“With a new Prime Minister in office, now is the time for the Government to back the clean, renewable energy that will cut emissions, lower bills and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels.
“Locally, we could support community energy projects which are a win-win for us and the planet. The decisions made today will shape the future our communities live with for decades. I hope our Government chooses to invest in the solutions we know work.”
Harpenden farmer and National Farmers Union member Will Dickinson highlighted the impact of the weather on the UK’s agricultural industry.
“This summer’s unprecedented heatwaves have caused problems for the farming industry. It is quite obvious, as grass has died off to that desert brown colour, so livestock has struggled to find enough to eat and farmers are now feeding hay meant for the coming winter.
“Many of the crops have also died rather than ripening which has meant that they have not reached what it was hoped would be good yields after the disappointment of last year.
“On our farm many of the crops have been between 10 and even 50 per cent lower than we were hoping and often the temperatures and the dryness of them have been a problem too. We have had to harvest overnight to try and capture the dew and to make sure the crop is not too dry or too warm for storage.
“Most years for us it is the opposite problem as our climate means crops are too damp to harvest and they need drying. So, harvest was a mixed bag for us, with yields below expectations, although gathered early and without delay. Sadly too, since our grain is traded on international markets, the prices do not reflect national supply and so have not really responded to shortfalls.
“Prices are much more sensitive to events in the new war zones than to supplies in domestic markets. International prices are not rewarding farmers in the UK with enough to ensure profitability in most cases. In history the fluctuations in supply and demand have led to feast and famine, which following the World Wars made governments encourage more stable food production with assistance in bad times and regulations in the good times. Not so just now.”
He said the NFU is calling on the Government to take food security seriously and work with them to introduce policies which support British farmers and growers, including water resilience measures like funding support for on-farm reservoirs.
“As farmers we work on timescales of multiple years. One of my crop rotations or the decision to breed from a cow to provide a milking cow for the next generation of the herd is much longer than a full term in the political life of a Government, let alone that of a Prime Minister or members of the Cabinet.
“I need certainty to make decisions that will affect my farm for many years to come, especially when those decisions not only affect the profitability of my business but also the well-being of the ecosystem that is so crucial to the health of the planet.
“The recent weather patterns, with violent and sustained periods of wet and dry and record breaking temperatures have challenged what we do in the farm. The varieties of crops that we grow now are more tolerant of these extremes than they were but they will quickly need to become more so. Already the current heatwave is affecting harvest for next year as seed which should already be growing still sits in the shed waiting for a hint of rain in the forecast.
“A properly funded research program is needed. Just a couple of miles from where I farm, Rothamsted Research, the oldest agricultural station in the world, is busy trying to find more resilient crops and tying that in with research on how to make soils more capable of being more resilient to both flood and drought by improving knowledge of soil microbiology and how important that is for soil health and thus crop health.”
He said he is also looking at other crops that are perhaps more capable of coping with extremes of dry and heat of recent years, such as maize.
“We are also looking to use more organic matter to incorporate into the soil such as compost and digestate, but these materials are more difficult to source.
“Plastic contamination is a huge problem in food waste and compost as those who dispose of it are too lazy or don’t care to pick plastic out. They cost more to spread and have much more variable nutrients but they do provide great stimulation for soil living organisms.
“We have been very lucky here on this farm to avoid the very severe extremes that others have suffered and although wildfires have come close they have not yet affected us.
“Farming close to the old St Albans gravel pits means we do not suffer from flooding but our soils do not have the capability of holding water like the deeper clays to the north.
“I am the sixth generation to farm here with the eighth generation just born. I am very hopeful that we might continue growing quality food for years to come but doing what previous generations have done will not necessarily be the answer.
“I hope that wise government will help us to make the right decisions using good science that we might feed a world that has so many critical challenges not least right now with war on the very edge of Europe and with growing populations moving vast distances across the world in search of a better life especially when some areas of the world will become so less able to grow food at all.”
NFU Crops Board Chair Jamie Burrows, who farms in St Albans, added: “Farming is all about planning for the long-term but more frequent climate extremes makes this really hard and financially risky. While the outlook for harvest varies depending on crop, region and soil type, it’s clear that this year’s grain has been produced scarily close to, or even below, the cost of production.
“We are doing what we can to mitigate the risks on farm, but the Government must work with industry on this. Most arable farmers can’t irrigate their crops, and that’s why we need investment in resilient crop varieties that are more able to withstand drought and disease and have greater yield resilience. This kind of innovation would help to deliver domestic food security and strengthen our resilience against a changing climate.”
Ver Valley Society chair John Pritchard revealed that the hotter weather has made life difficult for wildlife, especially the creatures in the River Ver itself, with parts of the chalk stream reaching 26C on the hottest days of the summer.
“Bearing in mind a chalk stream’s usual temperature is usually between 10 and 12C that’s very stressful for invertebrates and fish. Brown trout especially find temperatures over 20C very taxing and are unlikely to survive long in temperatures over 25C, particularly as hot weather reduces dissolved oxygen levels.
“The top six miles of the Ver’s 17-mile length has dried up already. Sometimes called the ‘winterbourne’ reaches, they have flowed since 2022 and their disappearance has left warm, low flows on the remaining river. The disappearance of the river’s upper reaches has come much more quickly than in past years too.”
The ford where the Ver crosses Waterend Lane is also now dry, a and the River Red which feeds into the Ver in Redbourn is no longer flowing.
Although they are not climate experts, John says the prospect of short sharp periods of heavier rain and extreme summer temperatures are anticipated in future years.
“That’s not good for an ecosystem that relies on adequate river flows in summer that come from groundwater that’s the product of persistent winter rain.”
Although it is outside their remit, the society supports the idea of more tree cover to future-proof against extreme summer temperatures in years to come.
“Currently a 70/30 mix of sun to shade is typically encouraged along chalk streams. There’s a great deal to say that 50/50 might be more appropriate to keep water temperatures down and protect the river’s inhabitants.”
But he accepts there are no quick and easy fixes: “Water in the environment is under severe pressure in the south-east, especially as it is one of the driest parts of the country.
“Encouraging development in the north and west, nearer to abundant sources of water, would be beneficial to the environment and require less costly infrastructure. Tiered pricing for water would reduce the pressure on rivers too – everyone gets 110 litres a day at a reasonable price but pays a premium for additional litres used after that.”
Over at London Colney tourist destination Willows Activity Farm, the hot weather has had both positive and negative impacts.
Director Andrew Wolfe explains: “Consistent dry weather means families can plan their days out well in advance without worrying about rain. Although we have lots of outdoor activities, there are also plenty of opportunities to take a break from the sunshine. Mrs Rabbit’s soft play has been particularly popular this summer as it is air-conditioned.
“We have also provided plenty of shaded picnic benches around the farm to give visitors somewhere to get out of the sun. Despite the hot weather, we are actually up year-on-year on visitor numbers for the summer holidays – and we have certainly sold a lot of ice cream!”
There are, however, challenges, as he reveals: “Animal welfare is always a priority, so we make sure all our animals have plenty of fresh water and access to shade. We are also providing our grazing animals with additional feed because the prolonged hot, dry conditions have significantly reduced the amount of grass available.
“We are keeping a particularly close eye on our potato and pumpkin crops which we need to keep well-watered for our forthcoming Potato Shindig and Pumpkin Festival.
“When temperatures become particularly high, our Peter Rabbit characters also need to stay in their burrows, as it becomes too hot for them to perform on stage or take part in meet-and-greets.
“The heat can also be challenging for our team, many of whom work outside. We make sure everyone has access to plenty of drinking water and sun cream, as well as taking regular breaks from the heat.”
The Willows team are assuming that periods of extreme heat and prolonged dry weather are something they are likely to experience more regularly in future years, and taking action now to mitigate the impact.
“We need to continue adapting the Willows experience so that families can still have a fantastic day out while having plenty of opportunities to cool down, find shade and spend time indoors or undercover.
“It also means thinking carefully about how hotter, drier summers affect our animals, crops and team, and building greater resilience into the way we operate.
“We are looking at a number of ways to make Willows more resilient to extreme summer temperatures. This includes creating additional shaded areas around the farm and planting more trees to provide natural shade in the longer term. We are also planning to introduce water misters and investigating whether we can extend our existing water-play facilities.
“These adaptations inevitably come at a cost and, unlike investments that increase capacity or visitor numbers, they will not necessarily provide a direct financial return. However, they are becoming increasingly important in ensuring that we can continue to provide a safe, enjoyable experience during periods of extreme weather.”
To offset this outlay, he would like to see the Government make the temporary reduction in VAT for visitor attractions from 20 per cent to five per cent permanent, and recognise the significant increase in employment costs faced by hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses.
“Reducing these pressures would give businesses greater scope to invest in measures such as additional shade, cooling, water facilities and other infrastructure needed to adapt to increasingly extreme summer weather.”
St Albans MP Daisy Cooper is also calling on urgent Government action in response to the summer heatwaves.
“Just look at what we’re seeing on the news right now: we’ve got wildfires across Europe, the driest July on record here in the UK, and we’ve had a major wildfire in Suffolk that’s destroyed a natural habitat that will take 25 years to grow back.
“There are warnings that we are on course to have a record number of heat-related deaths in this country, we’ve got schools and hospitals closing because they can’t cope with the heat, and we’ve had trains slowed down and in some cases de-rail, due to overheated rails and dried soil underneath.
“The climate crisis is here. We can see it, we can feel it every single day and honestly, I think it beggars belief that the Government has given Luton Airport expansion the go-ahead without stating clearly how they intend to manage the extra emissions within the nation’s emissions reduction framework.
“On top of this, our country’s security – whether that’s economic, energy, food or our national security – is facing monumental threats. We Liberal Democrats have repeatedly warned that the three need to be tackled together.
“On food security specifically, I’ve heard from countless farmers here in Hertfordshire and across the country about the severe pressures they’re facing. From the Government’s crushing family farms tax to Brexit red tape, spikes in energy prices and fertiliser costs, and now this hot weather – they’re seeing huge cost rises that’ll have knock-on effects for food prices.
“This sector is key to safeguarding our food security, protecting our natural environment, and makes huge contributions to our economy. That’s why we Liberal Democrats have long called for homegrown food production to be treated as a national priority: we would back our British farmers, including by reversing the family farm tax and increasing the farming budget by £1 billion.
“Our plan to drive forward economic growth also includes long-term investment to improve the resilience of our infrastructure – such as our schools, hospitals and railways – to finally fix our water infrastructure which has been starved of resources by asset-stripping water companies, and to have a revolution in renewables.
“All of this is critical if we are to prepare our country for a world of ever-increasing climate impacts.
“We also need to equip our society for soaring temperatures. That’s why we Lib Dems are calling for air-conditioned public buildings to be opened up as ‘cool hubs’ for vulnerable people, a maximum working temperature, a 10-year emergency Home Upgrade Programme to ensure homes are insulated and built to zero-carbon standards, and for newbuilds to have built-in cooling capacity.
“The Government must start investing in these long-term measures to fight the climate crisis and safeguard our country’s security.”
