Problem with heating at Asda store leaves workers and shoppers shivering in Milton Keynes

A popular Asda store has been giving shoppers and workers the shivers after its heating broke down a few weeks ago.

The store at Oakridge Park has now been provided with a temporary generator in a bid to get temperatures up to a comfortable level.

But one shopper said: “It seems to me that it’s been colder inside the store than it was outside.

She added: "It’s not quite so bad for shoppers as we often have our coats on. But I feel sorry for the poor workers – they look frozen.”

The Citizen was contacted by staff at the store who said: “The heating has not worked properly for several weeks now. We are all getting ill but if we have a day off we are penalised.

"We have customers complaining how cold it is and we are expected to work in these conditions… Please help us and escalate the heating to be fixed.”

A thermometer placed in the warmest part of the shop – away from the chiller cabinets – shows a reading of just 10.3 degrees Celsius.

The Citizen passed the claims to Asda’s press office and a spokesman told us: “"To ensure that our colleagues and customers don't get cold whilst we fix the problem with the central heating at our Oakridge Park store, we have installed temporary generators.”

He added: "We are working to get this issue resolved as quickly as possible."

According to government guidelines, the temperature in all indoor workplaces must be “reasonable” during working hours.

The guidelines state: “There’s no law for minimum or maximum working temperatures, eg when it’s too cold or too hot to work. However, guidance suggests a minimum of 16ºC or 13ºC if employees are doing physical work.”

There is no guidance for a maximum temperature limit but employers must stick to health and safety at work laws. These include keeping the temperature at a comfortable level and providing clean and fresh air.”

Asda opened in Oakridge Park in 2016 . The 10,000 square feet store created 47 jobs an received a £1.6m investment from Asda.

It offers fresh produce, an express pizza counter, rotisserie, bakery and a selection of world foods as well as a a click and collect service and a food-to-go section.