Open fires are back! [001]

Fireplaces have a particularly festive connotation in Great Britain, therefore it's perhaps timely that as we rapidly approach the Christmas season, increasing numbers of Britons are turning back to the traditional hearth to warm their homes – that is, according to a recent survey by The Guardian newspaper.

According to evolutionary psychologist Dr Lance Workman: "... fire has played an important role in human evolution and that this is why we still find it rewarding today. We don't simply 'un-evolve' such reward systems just because we live in centrally heated houses today."

His theory is certainly supported by evidence from the Solid Fuel Association that shows that there has been a 40% increase in demand for fuel for open fires this year. It is also backed up by the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (which has seen a resurgence in demand for their member's services) and by the largest chimney and flue manufacturer in the UK, who has reported a 50% increase in business in the last year.

Just don't anybody say global warming too loud, ok?