To pick a pub with a log burner for a family meal?

[hippohippohippo]

It's my DH's birthday and I've booked a table at a pub for us and SIL and family. We have a 6 month old and they have a 5 month old. SIL says they are free but not coming, as the pub has a logburner and it's winter and might be on. It hadn't occurred to me that this was a problem and am fine taking my DS (and have regularly been to pubs with a logburner). She insists we look for somewhere that doesn't have a fire if we want them there. Is she being unreasonable or am I?

@ivykaty44

During those four hours, average particle levels rose to between 27 and 195 micrograms per cubic metre of air. The World Health Organization limit is 25μg/m3 over 24 hours. “Epidemiologists are increasingly recognising that exposure to high intensities of [small particles] over much shorter periods of time – hours rather than days – is linked to a range of health issues,” the researchers

@Susysue10 did you read the article? The scientists want wood burners to come with a health warning, children and elderly more susceptible

Ivykaty44, yes of course I read the article. Just the same ridiculous scaremongering which the media are forever churning out. Why don't we all just live in a vacuum bubble??? For gods sake, if the past 2 years have taught us anything, it surely is to get on with our lives, stop over thinking things and enjoy life. I for one will keep enjoying the wonderful heat from my log burner in my large comfy kitchen on a freezing cold winters day. Ivykate, you choose to do what you like!!

Susysue10

You remind me of a 1970s smoker, not wanting to accept the facts.

Jesus fucking Christ. SIL sounds like a dream.

Book the pub and enjoy the meal. Font pussyfoot around her.

I have a woodburner which i love. If its bad for me, well hey ho. I really dont care. If i died in front of it tonight, well i die happy and warm.

@Mirw

Does she take kids into town? Pollution from buses... She needs to get a grip and get over herself. No pollution, live in a bubble!!

Again, I would love to see the reaction on MN if someone used this argument to say it's fine to expose a baby to cigarette smoke for a couple of hours...

For me, I think I'd accept the temporary risk to my baby because cigarette smoke is unpleasant whereas, log burgers are beneficial

Are they really beneficial - or do you just mean you like how they look? They definitely don't have any benefits for the baby, do they?

I mean they are lovely to sit around, obviously not beneficial to one's health it seems. But it's a temporary risk I'd be willing to take in the same way I probably walked down many a busy street when the kids were in pushchairs. Or drove around with them. The air on cars us polluted too.

*in cars

My ndn got a wood burner, was the wrong height and to close to my house, the smoke and fumes where horrendous, caused problems as the were burning any crap he could get free. Had it on every day, all day , EH and planning got involved and he had to make adjustments to the chimney. The first year they had it was on all the ti e until they were told not to use it. This winter they have hardly used it thank god, Christmas day was spewing out smoke from 8am, probably cause it looked nice to open pressies by...they have 2 kids under 5...im hoping he's realised by now how bad it is for health and environment. 'Different type of smoke (apparently) than smoke from a housefire'....guess his occupation...prize idiot

Badly built open log fires burning unseasoned wood can be a problem.
A pub should have a correctly installed and approved burner otherwise it it would not be passed for fire regulations and definitelty not for a commercial business.
They can be very hot so it is best to keep away from it, and in a ventilated spot for your babies. Otherwise find somewhere else.

@Momicrone

I mean they are lovely to sit around, obviously not beneficial to one's health it seems. But it's a temporary risk I'd be willing to take in the same way I probably walked down many a busy street when the kids were in pushchairs. Or drove around with them. The air on cars us polluted too.

See I don't understand the "busy road" comparison. We know the impact traffic has on air quality. We legislate for it, measure it, when it gets poor beyond a threshold we mitigate. We tax polluting vehicles more and there is a shift towards cleaners engines/EV. Many don't feel we are going far enough fast enough. So to suggest a) the problem is on the same scale and b) is compatible is mad

See I don't understand the "busy road" comparison.

Exactly! And with regards to the "but cars!!" arguments - I don't sit with my baby to eat a meal in the car!

A fair number of pub "log fires" are probably gas or electric with a flame effect.