A South Yorkshire retailer has stepped into the spotlight to defend the fireplace industry.
MAC Metalcraft Sales Manager, David Ball, appeared on regional TV news to add some balance to a feature on complaints about stoves from the lobbyist group Mums For Lungs.
He and SIA Executive Director, Erica Malkin, were both given plenty of air time by ITV Calendar, to argue the case for woodburning stoves.
The Yorkshire and Lincolnshire news programme led on Mums For Lungs’ claim that enforcement of smoke control areas is ‘weak’.
It said that there had been 1,000 complaints about smoky chimneys in the region but only three fines were issued.
But it gave David and Erica – who are helping to organise next year’s Trade Stove & Fireplace Professional Show in Doncaster – a fair hearing with more screen time than the anti-stove spokesperson.
Fireplace Specialist understands that ITV news sent journalists out to fireplace retailers across the country to run the story on several of its regional channels.
The mainstream media focus on stoves over the past few weeks comes amid continued negative headlines generated to coincide with the start of the heating season.
Charnwood Stoves boss Hugh Wells has already called out the annual ‘wood burner bashing’ in a well argued rebuttal article on his website.
The SIA has also made a number of TV and radio appearances in support of domestic burning in recent months.
David, who hosted an ITV news journalist at his Mexborough showroom, said he felt he and Erica had done their best at short notice to help promote the sector and give viewers the facts amid misleading anti-burning lobbying.
While some of his interview was edited out, his appearance informed viewers that modern woodburners contributed very little to pollution.
And he stressed to the audience the importance of using low moisture ‘Ready To Burn’ wood and not burning scavenged items that haven’t been dried out.
SIA chief Erica drew viewers’ attention to the facts around domestic burning and that zero emission stoves are not far from being delivered by manufacturers.
She told viewers: “Calling for a ban is a retrograde step because it dismisses consumer choice entirely.
“If consumers are better educated to do wood burning well then that choice can be maintained, providing they’re using the very latest appliances.”
Speaking to Fireplace Specialist, David said: “The SIA are doing a good job of representing the industry and lobbying MPs and I feel that independent companies like us can do a bit more to get a positive impression of wood burning in people’s minds.”
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