Wood Burning Stoves for Pubs, Cafes and Restaurants

There is something about a crackling wood burning stove that makes a pub feel like a pub, a cafe feel welcoming and a restaurant feel worth returning to. Beyond the atmosphere, a well-chosen stove can take a serious bite out of your heating bills and give customers a reason to linger longer and spend more. We have installed stoves in commercial hospitality premises of all shapes and sizes, and we know exactly what it takes to get the job done properly, from the first site survey through to commissioning and beyond.

If you are considering a stove for your pub, cafe or restaurant, this guide covers the key decisions you will need to make and the regulations you will need to follow.

Why Commercial Hospitality Venues Choose Wood Burning Stoves

Hospitality operators come to us for a range of reasons. Some want to reduce their reliance on central heating in large, draughty dining rooms or bar areas. Others are investing in the look and feel of their venue as part of a refurbishment. Many are doing both at the same time.

A log burning stove creates a focal point that no radiator can match. Customers naturally gravitate towards it, which encourages longer visits and repeat bookings. From a practical standpoint, solid fuel appliances in commercial settings can be very cost-effective to run, particularly if you have a reliable supply of seasoned hardwood.

Our commercial stove services are designed specifically for business premises, with supply, installation and ongoing servicing all handled by our own team.

Choosing the Right Stove Output for Your Space

Getting the heat output right is one of the most important decisions in any commercial installation. Too small and the stove will struggle to make an impression on a busy Friday night when the room is full. Too large and you risk overheating staff and guests sitting nearest the fire.

For commercial spaces, we carry out a proper heat loss calculation before recommending any appliance. A typical domestic living room might need 5kW. A large pub bar or open-plan restaurant could need 12kW, 15kW or more, depending on ceiling height, glazing, insulation and how the space is used. We also consider:

• Whether the space is open-plan or divided into zones
• How much natural ventilation the building has
• The typical occupancy level during trading hours
• Whether the stove needs to heat the space independently or supplement an existing system

Our team will assess your premises and recommend an appliance that is matched to the actual demands of your building, not just a rough guess based on square footage.

UK Regulations and Compliance for Commercial Stove Installations

Commercial premises face a higher level of regulatory scrutiny than domestic properties, and rightly so. Before we install any stove in a pub, cafe or restaurant, we make sure your project is fully compliant with all relevant rules.

Building Regulations

Any solid fuel appliance installation in a commercial premises must comply with Part J of the Building Regulations in England, or the equivalent in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This covers hearth construction, fireplace recesses, air supply, flue sizing and the positioning of combustible materials. We handle all the necessary notifications as part of our commercial installation service.

HETAS Approval

HETAS is the official body recognised by the UK government to approve solid fuel heating appliances, fuels and services. Our installers are HETAS registered, which means we can self-certify installations and issue the certificates your local authority and your insurance provider will expect to see. Using a HETAS registered installer is not just good practice in a commercial setting; many insurers now require it.

Fire Safety

Commercial premises are subject to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Your responsible person is required to carry out a fire risk assessment, and the introduction of a solid fuel appliance will need to be reflected in that assessment. We can advise on the practical aspects of this, including safe clearances, hearth materials and spark guards where appropriate.

Smoke Control Zones and Clean Air Act Compliance

Many towns and city centres in the UK are designated smoke control areas under the Clean Air Act 1993. If your pub, cafe or restaurant falls within one of these zones, you cannot burn ordinary wood or house coal. You must either use an Exempt Appliance, which is a stove that has been specifically approved by DEFRA for use in smoke control areas, or burn only authorised smokeless fuels.

We only supply and install DEFRA-exempt appliances where required, so you will never be left in a situation where your stove is non-compliant. If you are unsure whether your premises fall within a smoke control zone, your local council can confirm this, or you can ask our team when you get in touch.

Flue Systems and Chimney Requirements in Commercial Premises

The flue is just as important as the stove itself, and in commercial settings it requires careful planning. A poorly designed or undersized flue will cause the stove to smoke, perform badly and potentially create a carbon monoxide risk.

Commercial premises often present challenges that you would not encounter in a standard house. These can include:

• Greater ceiling heights, which can affect flue draw
• Listed building or conservation area restrictions on external flue routes
• Shared roofspaces or party walls in terraced or semi-detached buildings
• Existing redundant chimneys that may need relining
• The need for twin-wall insulated flue systems where no existing chimney is present

Our team carries out a full flue survey before installation begins. Where an existing chimney is available, we will recommend the appropriate liner size and specification. Where no chimney exists, we design and install a twin-wall system that meets the relevant standards and does not compromise the appearance of your building.

Fuel Choice and Running Efficiency

For most pubs, cafes and restaurants, seasoned hardwood logs are the most practical and cost-effective fuel. Hardwoods such as oak, ash and beech burn hotter and longer than softwoods, and produce less creosote buildup in the flue. Logs should be dried to below 20% moisture content, which is the legal requirement under the Ready to Burn scheme introduced in 2021.

If your premises fall within a smoke control area, you will need to use an authorised smokeless fuel or only burn wood in an approved Exempt Appliance. Briquettes made from compressed wood or other biomass materials can also be a useful option, particularly where storage space for logs is limited.

If you are looking at larger-scale solid fuel heating with the potential to run radiators or underfloor heating alongside the stove, a biomass boiler stove may be worth considering. These are more complex installations but can offer significant running cost advantages for larger venues.

Servicing and Maintenance for Commercial Stoves

A commercial stove works harder than a domestic one. It may be lit six or seven days a week throughout the colder months, which means it accumulates soot and creosote in the flue far more quickly than a stove used occasionally at home. Annual servicing is a minimum requirement, and for venues with heavy use, twice-yearly chimney sweeping is often more appropriate.

Our commercial servicing covers the full appliance, including the firebox, baffle, door seals, glass and all internal components, as well as the flue and any associated chimney structure. We issue a service report after every visit, which you can keep on file for insurance and compliance purposes.

Keeping up with servicing is not just a regulatory matter. A well-maintained stove burns more efficiently, uses less fuel and gives your customers a better experience. A poorly maintained one smokes, blackens the glass and can become a safety hazard.

Talk to Our Team About Your Venue

Every pub, cafe and restaurant is different, and the right stove for your premises depends on a combination of factors that we assess individually. We cover a wide range of locations across the UK, and you can check whether we operate in your area on our locations page.

Whether you are planning a full refurbishment or simply want to add a stove to an existing space, our team can help you choose the right appliance, handle the installation from start to finish and keep it in top condition year after year. Get in touch to arrange a site survey and we will give you a clear picture of what is involved and what it will cost.