A revamp has been demanded at a clothing store after safety chiefs found it was too cold to shop there.

Work is to take place at TK Maxx’s outlet in Carlisle after staff found that even temporary heaters couldn’t make it warm enough.

The chain, which occupies both The Eden Centre and Market Hall in Fisher Street, has applied to the city council to make alterations including new air conditioning, lighting and smoke control.

Action is being taken after council environmental health officers recorded average temperatures lower than 12°C in February last year – and that was when extra heaters were being used.

A planning application states that the store “suffered from excessive temperature fluctuations”. TJX Europe, TK Maxx’s parent company, has also applied for the alteration of stud partitions, installation of a glazed enclosure to the lightwell and the installation of new floor covering and shop fittings.

A design and access statement written by London-based Millbridge Project Management Ltd, states: “The improvement works are necessary to improve the environment within the store, which has suffered from excessive temperature fluctuations. An improvement notice issued by Carlisle City Council environmental health department in response to low internal temperatures has led to an urgency in implementation of remedial measures.”

The store was issued with an improvement notice in February 2015.

A council spokeswoman said: “As part of a visit to the store in February 2015, temperature readings taken with a calibrated digital thermometer revealed mean readings on the shop floor of 11.5C.

“This was despite a number of temporary heaters being in place.

“We had previously highlighted the issue of unreasonable temperatures and had no alternative but to take the next course of formal action.”

The notice demands that steps are taken to ensure the temperature is maintained at a “reasonable level” during the store’s opening hours – and that the work must be done by the end of this year. TK Maxx has been in the Market Hall since the late 1990s.

The company declined to comment.