We've looked at gas fires, electric fires and the gel-fires under
discussion.

Why muck around with fakes. If I was installing a fireplace, it would be
solid fuel. End of story!

I haven't yet got round to converting our fireplaces from gas to solid fuel.
They'd need the flue checking/sweeping and the backs and hearth checked. It
would be nice on a winter's evening, though. The only problem is that the
room in question shares a heating zone with the front room, which would go
cold as the room thermostat is in the lounge. I suppose we could always
restore the fireplace in the front room, too...

Christian.