[emeritus]

Funnily enough, only yesterday I dug out my early 1960s-vintage 3kW Belling (with coal effect) from the depths of the garage to use as a radiant heater under our verandah for use when we have socially-distanced visitors. It cleaned up nicely but now only has 2 bars as one fractured many years ago and was removed. Little point buying a special patio heater that would do exactly the same job, as it is used under cover and out of the rain. I had replaced the original mains lead with a new one about 10 years ago. Mum used to have the 2kW version: one bar was too powerful for the small room she did her sewing in, so I strapped a power diode across one of the On/Off switches to give a 500W setting that was just right. That was nearly 50 years ago. One of our cats used to bask in front of the coal effect when it was lit but none of the bars were on.