Northern Ireland summer 2024: Portstewart brings in extra staff and ice cream to cope with crowds as last day of summer to reach 21C

Earlier this week, the News Letter urged readers not to throw the beach towel in on summer just yet, in light of the encouraging forecast for the end of this week.

Many people have been left down in the mouth at how wet this summer has been.

But the Met Office said this week would get much warmer towards the weekend, with today reaching as high as 21C across Northern Ireland today.

Amy Platt, manager at Morell's in Portstewart - famed for its Italian ice cream - said the weather was so good yesterday (Friday) that it had been "a bit of madness".

Asked if they were ordering in extra staff for today, she replied: "Oh yes, definitely, for Saturday and Sunday. After this weekend, all the kids are back to school and the English tourists are all still about.

"So we are bringing in any extra staff we have left and hopefully it's going to be a really busy weekend - the last big weekend of the summer."

Asked if they were bringing in extra ice cream, she replied: "Yes. Definitely. I have been thinking about this throughout the week. But actually, even today [Friday], has been a bit of madness; A wee bit of sunshine and nearly everybody comes to Portstewart. But we are always ready for it, we always have a wee inkling of what to do; Extra ice-cream, extra staff, extra everything really"

Glyn Roberts, chief executive of Retail NI, said his members would make the most of the weekend. "I think it's only been a challenging summer because, you know, the weather is something we don't have any control over, and some sun is always good for sales," he said.

"So obviously, this weekend members will be looking forward to selling lots of ice cream, and burgers and steaks for barbecues, because clearly there was a drop in sales due because of the poor weather.

"I think we are all hoping for a late summer - an Indian summer - which could give us a much needed boost."

A Met Office forecaster said today (Saturday) will have plenty of sunshine and dry conditions across NI, with temperatures reaching 20-21C. Sunday will start bright and dry but there will be increasing cloud moving in from the south and west through the day with rain arriving by evening. Next week is expected see a return to mixed conditions and cooler weather.