Mr Soot’s founder is demanding the solid industry unite behind open fires.

In his regular Soot’s You column for Fireplace Specialist Magazine, David called out the ‘own goals’ which feeds into the hands of misinformed pressure groups.

One of these is the calls by some that open fires should be outlawed.

He said: “We all want to work towards making the air we breathe as clean as possible. And we have been doing that – PM2.5 has been falling since 1970. So this proves it is possible. 

“Industry folk need to understand that open fires are the ‘first line of defence’. If they’re outlawed, what comes next? Older stoves? Be careful what you wish for…

“Our industry needs to STOP scoring these massive own goals. It needs to:

– Stop getting into pointless discussions about inaccurate data

– Stop repeating misleading claims, even in an effort to correct them

– Stop talking down open fires

“Instead, we need to:

– Understand why people want to use open fires and educate them on the benefits of approved smokeless coal 

– Understand that, for many, it’s a heart versus head decision. Bamboozling them with jargon about efficiency percentages doesn’t work – they care about ambience first and foremost.

“It’s time to get on the front foot; stop being reactive and focus on the rich history and heritage traditional fireplaces have to offer.”

David’s full column can be found at https://fireplacespecialistmagazine.co.uk/3dissue/fireplace-issue-13/