More than half of hardy Brits will plough on with a BBQ even when it's raining. 52% of folk admitted they wouldn't let a little rain come between them and their beloved barbie.
Folk from Bristol are the least likely to cancel a BBQ if the weather turns sour, with two-thirds (67%) saying they’d 'crack on'. In contrast six in ten Geordies (59%) admitted that rain would stop play and they'd be forced to cancel their BBQ plans.
A survey of 2,000 people grilled by Electric Radiators Direct investigated Brits' BBQ habits. The research revealed May is the accepted start of BBQ season in the UK while June is the most popular month for cooking al fresco.
But almost one in ten (8%) are devoted to firing up the outdoor grill in chillier months, admitting they like to cook on their barbie from January through to March too. For more than 1.3 million Brits, bone-chilling BBQs are on the menu as 2% admitted to grilling outdoors as late in the year as October, November and December.
The data revealed that 20-25°C is apparently the perfect temperature for a BBQ, but many will give it a go if it's 18°C or more. More than a fifth of hardy Brits (23%) - the equivalent of 16 million people - said they'd still fire up the grill if the temperature was below 15°C.
Liverpudlians were revealed to have the thickest skin when it comes to BBQ-ing in cooler climates, with 2% admitting it only takes 5°C to get them out in the garden. It was the 18-24 age group that were the most receptive to the cold, with more than one in five (13%) admitting they would BBQ between as little as 0°C and 6°C.
Unsurprisingly of those quizzed in this age group, 17% said they would choose to have the first BBQ of the year in either January, February or March. The South East of England came out as the warmest location in spring, with temperatures averaging a reasonable 15.05°C.
London came top in ranking of cities boasting the best spring BBQ weather, with the capital having the warmest temperatures (14.5°C), followed by Manchester (13.5°C) and Southampton (13°C). In contrast, those living in Dundee, Bradford, Aberdeen and Durham clocked the lowest average spring temperatures, at around 11°C.
Owner of UK BBQ School, and consultant editor for BBQ Mag Marcus Bowden said he 'relishes the challenge' of cooking in adverse conditions. Marcus said: "I love cooking in the colder months because it's more of a challenge when you have to contend with the elements... And my favourite weather to cook in is snow.
"Most people will pack away their BBQs for the colder months and they do miss out. Wrap up warm and enjoy standing next to the BBQ when cooking to keep yourself warm. Sometimes on the hottest of summer days it's too hot to stand near a hot grill.
"I've even cooked Christmas dinner on the BBQ for the last 12 years and I love a bit of 'me time' on Christmas morning, outdoors cooking turkey and trimmings on the BBQ. Some hard-core BBQ-ers like myself relish the challenge of cooking in adverse conditions and see BBQ season as running year-round."
For more information, visit: https://www.electricradiatorsdirect.co.uk/news/the-great-british-bbq-season-what-are-the-best-outdoor-grilling-conditions/
