Pubs to fight £250m ban on patio heaters

For the original article Click Here

Title – Pubs to fight £250m ban on patio heaters
Source – The Metro
Date – 31st January 2008

So now that the licensed retail sector has been blamed for almost every woe in the country, it is now receiving the blame for climate change….

You have to worry sometimes what will be next, MPs and MEPs blaming pubs and clubs for the destruction of the rain forests because of their use of toothpicks? Climate change has been acknowledged as one of the world’s greatest dangers and should be a priority for our governments to tackle; we all know that if even George Bush acknowledges it as a problem then we can guarantee that it is a real threat… but patio heaters… honestly….?

Surely MEPs have something better to do, like tackling the real reasons for climate change and the industries that actually contribute substantially to global warming. Reports like this actually have the opposite effect, people know that banning patio heaters can’t save the planet. Obviously every little bit helps and if there is a way we can reduce the effects of CO2 emissions we should look at it, but tackle the big issues first before alienating everyone and turning what has become a popular willingness to change our lifestyles to protect our planet, into one that people resent and start to rebel against.

If MPs could change their vocabulary and stop using words like 'ban' they might also get a better response from those people affected by their comments. Smokers are not the only people who benefit from patio heaters, we all like the fresh air sometimes and in our country that means having some form of outside heater for many months of the year. Is the solution simply a ban, is that really all the 'great and good' that we elect can come up with?

We pay tax, that tax helps pay for the governance of our country and the people we elect to run it, when will they learn that their job is to come up with solutions. The word ‘solution’ does not mean ‘dictatorship’, ‘ban’, ‘censorship’, ‘restriction’ etc; it means if patio heaters really are a tiny part of the problem we as concerned citizens will choose to act, those working in the licensed retail trade are as concerned about climate change as anyone. But don’t just ban patio heaters, provide a solution or alternative or at least find a way for people (our customers) not to lose all their creature comforts.

Televisions use vast amounts of electricity, are these the next to be banned? Obviously not, after all if they are how are our politicians going to preach at us? Would people object if televisions were manufactured without standby buttons so you were forced to switch them off after use rather than have them drain electricity when on standby? Probably not.
My message to our government; we want positive action on climate change, but if you really believe that banning patio heaters is the solution you really have not for one second understood the actual problem. Maybe you could turn off some of the lights in your mansions, cycle rather than use the Jag, holiday closer to home, scrap parliament and the lords (turning the lights out as you leave for the smaller offices required by a dictatorship) and stop spouting so much hot air yourselves.

Please visit our website at www.btbl.co.uk