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Sales of propane-burning patio heaters have skyrocketed since the smoking ban, but that could be about to change. Bowing to the green pound, B&Q is the latest retailer to announce it's dropping patio heaters from stores because of their environmental implications -- and presumably also because of long-term fears the heaters might put off shoppers piling up trolleys with energy-saver bulbs, insulation and thermostatic radiator valves.
A typical pub heater creates a huge amount of CO2. The Energy Saving Trust estimates that the average heater will create 34.9kg of CO2 in 13 hours -- enough to make 5,200 cups of tea.
B&Q's not the first to jump on the ban-the-patio-heater bandwagon. Last year Wyevale and Notcutts garden centres both said they'd stop selling patio heaters, but B&Q sells the most, so its move should make the biggest impact.
Politicians have also been trying to turn up the heat on the debate. "While there are no current proposals regarding patio heaters, the minister would encourage individuals to consider the environment in their use of any such items," a spokesman for the head of the Irish Green Party, John Gormley, recently told the Irish Independent.
Right now, eight patio heaters are still available B&Q's site, so we'll be keeping an eye open to see when they get doused.
In the meantime, the other good news is that the layering look is so on-trend for 2008.
24 January 2008 08:09pm
gotta say I'll be glad to see the back of these... regardless of the eco side, as a non-smoker, it's really not much fun huddling outside a British pub in January any more
12 March 2008 07:38am
This year is the last year B&Q will sell patio heaters - a small range is still available this year. From next year they wont be sold at all.
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