Want to beat the UK heatwave? Build a pool in your office

Posted on 25 Jul 2019 by Jonny Williamson

As temperatures in the UK soared over 30 degrees on Wednesday, and with the UK's heatwave set to break all records today, you might be forgiven for thinking the management at A&M EDM precision engineers in Smethwick, West Midlands, had gone above and beyond for their employees, by providing them with a brand new swimming pool. No such luck.

How inviting is this? A sight that surely conjures up images of SPF 50, a few chilled drinks and a tasty dip in the pool. What better way to combat the UK heatwave?

Sad to relate, anyone heading into this pool would be in for a nasty shock. Far from the company splashing out on a new warm-weather facility for the workforce, it is in fact A&M’s highly polished factory floor, prepped for a new production line creating parts for the aerospace sector.

Managing director Mark Wingfield explains: “We are moving machinery between our factories to create a large space for investment in an aerospace volume production area. The floor has been resurfaced and painted and staff decided it looked like a swimming pool and needed lanes. If only we could all jump in… But it’s a mirage which will be full of machinery soon.”

Here’s the full view of the factory floor. Boo!

The pool that isn't. A polished factory floor, ready for a new production line at A&M EDM precision engineers.
The pool that isn’t. A polished factory floor, ready for a new production line at A&M EDM precision engineers.

We couldn’t help but be reminded of this, a classic – not to mention painful – blunder by someone jumping into something else that looks like water. But isn’t.

Stay cool out there!