Are you looking far and wide for gritting services near me?
There may be something quite odd in us writing about winter, snow and ice when the UK is currently basking in a mid-July heatwave. You’d expect summer in July, we know, we know- although it’s worth reminding people that we did have snow flurries in early May 2021, supposedly mid-spring.
Our season of winter gritting and snow clearance is still a few months away from beginning, truth be told. But, it always pays to plan ahead, doesn’t it?
We do offer a variety of snow clearance and winter gritting services and we get increasingly busy from late September hitting peak activity from November through to March. Now don’t get us wrong, we enjoy downtime in summer, as our team do work long 12 hour shifts in autumn, winter and spring and the workload often feels relentless when bad weather lands and the mercury drops.
We read today, too, that it’s only 23 weeks to Christmas, which may surprise and alarm you.
Think like retailers
If you want your staff, premises, car parks, roads making winter-safe, now is the time to plan ahead.
Let’s look month by month at what we mean:
January
Christmas is done and dusted, new year festivities have ended and work begins with you uncertain how long you should say “Happy New Year” to colleagues, friends and passers-by. The sales begin online and in shops and holiday companies used to market escapes abroad as the decorations disappear into lofts and garages. It’s the second coldest month of the year in the UK.
February
Sales over and the coldest and shortest month creeps in to the calendar. Some warmth though is provided by Valentine’s Day but our hardy team are out constantly across the Midlands battling frost and ice. Days are getting longer though after the gloam of late December.
March
Easter beckons and the shops turn aisles into an egg fest. Mini eggs and creme eggs tempt you on every shopping trip and the weather can go two ways – mild or freezing.
April
Showers and bunnies, April arrives, referred to by the poet TS Eliot as “the cruellest month”. From a winter gritting and gardening perspective, it sure can be. Frosts and ice are common, the days are light til 7.00 pm but April seems to have a mind of its own. Those Beasts from the East always seem to arrive in late March and April, catching us all out.
May
Snow is unusual but it still can rear its head. “Ne’er cast a clout til May be out” may be an expression you know?
June
Summer begins. Clocks leap forward, days stretch til 10.30 pm and our team are usually in slumber mode. Shops begin summer sales.
July
Schools break up, and the weather normally plays up, with retailers taunting children and their teachers with “Back to School” displays.
August
August in Britain feels like the end of something to us. Agree? The warmth in the air begins to dissipate and the garden goes into autumn mode it seems. Retailers start Christmas displays.
September
The best month? Days are still mild, trees are taking on autumn hues and school runs clog local roads.
October
Are you still reading this??? Clocks go back in late October and we all begin to think about Hallowe’en, Guy Fawkes and Santa.
November
Many people love it as there so much to look forward to. Retailers ramp up displays of Roses, Quality Street and Baileys, ready for that one day when shops close.
December
Our busy time and a time when Joe Public goes frantic with consumerism, leading us into …
If you’d like to be a part of our calendar, contact Tim and Andy today for a chat – call us on 0333 772 9525 or email [email protected]
