Garden centre chain phasing out patio heaters

The backlash against patio heaters has been fuelled after Britain's biggest garden centre chain announced it was to stop selling them.

Wyevale Garden Centre is to phase out the sale of gas powered patio heaters and instead sell alternatives such as wood-burning stoves and chimineas.

Patio heaters are a common feature in outdoor areas in pubs - and their popularity is increasing with the onset of the smoking ban.

It is estimated there are up to 105,000 patio heaters in use in the UK hospitality sector. However this figure does not include electric outdoor heating appliances, which are gaining market share.

The government's Market Transformation Programme estimates that annual carbon dioxide emissions from patio heaters in the UK are around 22.2K tonnes.

Wyevale said it believes there are strong arguments against the use of these "ecologically questionable products" and that the issues involved should be debated. Its decision to stop selling patio heaters is designed "to stimulate that debate", it said.

Jim Hodkinson, Wyevale's chairman, said: "Phasing out the sale of gas powered patio heaters is not just the right thing to do, it also demonstrates our determination to establish and adhere to a meaningful green agenda in every area of Wyevale's business.

"As easily the major operator in our sector, we also want to show a lead to the garden centre industry as a whole."

On a debate on the issue on BBC Radio 4's You and Yours Philip Selwood, chief executive of the Energy Saving Trust, suggested that apart from crowding around a heater pub customers always had another solution, "it's called putting a jumper on", he said.