Latest news with #ChristopherElliott
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Major retailer offering ‘versatile' pizza oven and BBQ for just £50 that will be perfect for garden parties
All tastes can be catered to with this cool gadget SLICE OF THAT Major retailer offering 'versatile' pizza oven and BBQ for just £50 that will be perfect for garden parties Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MUST-HAVE for the summer months is a BBQ, but a new accessory means you can become a master chef to impress all your family and friends. Hardware chain, Wickes, is selling a pizza oven that attaches to a BBQ so all tastes can be catered for at garden parties all summer long. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 4 The Charles Bentley Pizza Oven & BBQ Credit: Wickes 4 The gadget attached to any BBQ to cook the perfect pizza every time Credit: Wickes High-tech BBQs and pizza ovens have become all the rage in recent years, but those looking for an affordable option, need look no further than the Charles Bentley Pizza Oven & BBQ. Costing just £62, the versatile BBQ pizza allows you to make delicious homemade or pre-made pizzas without forking out the big bucks to invest in a standalone pizza over. It is designed to attach easily to any BBQ and has a built-in thermometer, which lets you monitor the cooking temperature to make the perfect pizza everytime. By attaching to any BBQ, the pizza oven is also a great way to save space in your backyard. At 6kg, the pizza oven is also lightweight and portable. The retailer also has plenty of BBQs on offer to suit all kinds of budgets, such as the Norfolk Grills Atlas 400 BBQ and grill with side burner. The BBQ costs £565, comes with a five-year guarantee and has plenty of practical features. Some of those include tool and condiment storage, a cabinet for grilling equipment, warming rack, thermometer, bottle opener and a stainless steel side burner. With summer now in full swing, experts have dispelled barbecuing myths that pose dangerous health risks. Professor Christopher Elliott, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's University Belfast, revealed such notions pose a serious health risk. The 2C method which stops flies plaguing your home and ruining your BBQ Some of the myths debunked by the prof include not checking the internal temperature of meat before servin or simply scraping a grill 'clean', rather than giving it a proper wash. 'A dirty grill is not a badge of honour – it's a serious health risk," he told The Sun in May. 'The belief that fire sterilises everything is a dangerous myth. 'Some bacteria – like E. coli and Salmonella – can survive if the grill isn't properly cleaned.' 4 Wickes has plenty of high-tech BBQs for sale Credit: Wickes
The Sun
2 days ago
- Health
- The Sun
Major retailer offering ‘versatile' pizza oven and BBQ for just £50 that will be perfect for garden parties
A MUST-HAVE for the summer months is a BBQ, but a new accessory means you can become a master chef to impress all your family and friends. Hardware chain, Wickes, is selling a pizza oven that attaches to a BBQ so all tastes can be catered for at garden parties all summer long. High-tech BBQs and pizza ovens have become all the rage in recent years, but those looking for an affordable option, need look no further than the Charles Bentley Pizza Oven & BBQ. Costing just £62, the versatile BBQ pizza allows you to make delicious homemade or pre-made pizzas without forking out the big bucks to invest in a standalone pizza over. It is designed to attach easily to any BBQ and has a built-in thermometer, which lets you monitor the cooking temperature to make the perfect pizza everytime. By attaching to any BBQ, the pizza oven is also a great way to save space in your backyard. At 6kg, the pizza oven is also lightweight and portable. The retailer also has plenty of BBQs on offer to suit all kinds of budgets, such as the Norfolk Grills Atlas 400 BBQ and grill with side burner. The BBQ costs £565, comes with a five-year guarantee and has plenty of practical features. Some of those include tool and condiment storage, a cabinet for grilling equipment, warming rack, thermometer, bottle opener and a stainless steel side burner. With summer now in full swing, experts have dispelled barbecuing myths that pose dangerous health risks. Professor Christopher Elliott, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's University Belfast, revealed such notions pose a serious health risk. The 2C method which stops flies plaguing your home and ruining your BBQ Some of the myths debunked by the prof include not checking the internal temperature of meat before servin or simply scraping a grill 'clean', rather than giving it a proper wash. 'A dirty grill is not a badge of honour – it's a serious health risk," he told The Sun in May. 'The belief that fire sterilises everything is a dangerous myth. 'Some bacteria – like E. coli and Salmonella – can survive if the grill isn't properly cleaned.' 4 4
Boston Globe
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
Thrifty bills customer $2,212 for preexisting damage on a rental
A. Thrifty shouldn't have charged you a dime — and not just because you had already noted the damage. I'll get to the other reason in a minute. This is another instance of a company blaming its customer for something that wasn't their fault. When you rent a car, it is essential to carefully document any preexisting damage to avoid being held responsible for it later. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up It sounds like you did everything by the book. You paid for Thrifty's damage waiver, and you noted the damage on the paperwork when you checked out the car. But Thrifty's third-party claims company, PurCo, is claiming that Thrifty lost the paperwork. How convenient! Advertisement Could you have done anything differently? Yes. If you ever get another car that's damaged, politely ask for another one. I've seen too many cases where an employee assures a customer that 'it's fine' only for them to receive a bill for repairs later. You could have also taken 'before' and 'after' pictures. I didn't see any as part of your claim, and they might have helped establish that the damage was there before you rented the car. Advertisement Why wasn't PurCo listening to you? Your bill included a $400 'administrative fee,' which is what PurCo charges to handle a claim. I wasn't there when your case came in, but if I had to guess, I'd say PurCo didn't want to lose the business. But your case was a slam dunk. Not only did you have written proof of the preexisting damage, you also had a second defense. The dates of your rental didn't align with the dates on the claim. You could have tried to resolve this on your own by contacting Thrifty's customer service executives. I list their names and contact information on my consumer advocacy website, I also have the names and numbers of the executives at the claims company, PurCo Fleet Services. I contacted Thrifty on your behalf. A representative reviewed your file and agreed that you should not have been charged for the damage. The representative contacted PurCo and requested that it close your claim. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy ( a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@ or get help by contacting him at
Boston Globe
05-06-2025
- Automotive
- Boston Globe
A ‘small scratch' on a rental leads to a whopping $1,800 bill
I called Enterprise's customer service. The United States representative couldn't find any record of the damage and couldn't help me. Three months later, Enterprise charged my credit card for the full amount of the damage. I disputed the charge with my credit card company, but they are siding with Enterprise. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up How can I defend myself against this false claim? Advertisement ERIC WEIMAN, San Diego A. You shouldn't have to pay for damage that didn't exist when you returned the vehicle. You're responsible for the car from the time you pick it up to the time you return it. But after you return it? That's on the company. You did the right thing by taking a video of the car when you returned it. This gives you some evidence to support your claim. I also recommend taking 'before' photos and videos of the vehicle, just to establish a baseline. Advertisement The most confusing part of your case is that you showed the rental location a video of the car you rented, and it appears the car didn't have a scratch. Meanwhile, the photos they showed that allegedly proved you had damaged the car did not identify this particular car as the car you had rented. In other words, it could have been any vehicle in the company's fleet. And when you asked for clarification, Enterprise seemed to double down on its claim. I think you had one more option: an appeal to an executive at Enterprise. I list the names, numbers, and email addresses of the top customer service executives at Enterprise on my consumer advocacy site, I contacted Enterprise on your behalf. 'We take seriously any concerns brought to us by customers and investigate them thoroughly,' a representative told me. 'In this particular instance, damage to the vehicle was not present when the renter took possession of the vehicle, yet was clearly present when the vehicle was processed for return.' Enterprise says it has a photographic tunnel that is operated by a third party. Vehicles from all rental companies pass through the tunnel in and out of Munich Airport and are photographed for damage. The photos suggest that you returned your car with damage. 'Because of this, we do intend to stand by our charge in this case and pursue the renter for damages,' the Enterprise spokesman said. Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy ( a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@ or get help by contacting him at Advertisement
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Scotsman
30-05-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
The barbecuing myth that ‘dirt adds flavour' is dangerous health risk
The barbecuing myths that 'dirt adds flavour' and 'flames kill off bacteria' are dangerous health risks, according to an expert. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Professor Christopher Elliott, founder of the Institute for Global Food Security at Queen's University Belfast, revealed such notions pose a serious health risk to those across the country heading into BBQ season. A laissez-faire approach to cleaning your barbecue, including not checking the internal temperature of your meat or simply scraping a grill 'clean', could leave you – and your guests – in a spot of bother. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It comes after research of 2,000 barbecue enthusiasts found one in six (15 per cent) believe flames kill off bacteria – with 27 per cent confident dirt adds flavour. Professor Elliott, who is consulting with Oven Pride, commissioned the research to launch its 'Grill With Pride' campaign to encourage people to properly scrub their barbecue and grill regularly, said: 'A dirty grill is not a badge of honour – it's a serious health risk. 'The belief that fire sterilises everything is a dangerous myth. 'Some bacteria – like E. coli and Salmonella – can survive if the grill isn't properly cleaned.' 'What's more concerning is how many people believe this. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'High heat doesn't guarantee a clean surface. Bacteria can survive in grease traps and cold spots. "And when that grease builds up, it doesn't just stay put – it flares up, scorches your food, and can even start a fire.' The survey also found 24 per cent have considered their grill is clean following a good scrape and 11 per cent have even thought it ok to pick up raw and cooked foods with the same utensils. Of the barbecue owners polled, excluding the grill itself, almost a quarter (22 per cent) had never bothered to clean theirs. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Other hygiene 'sins' committed include not covering food to protect it from insects, leaving produce out in the open for too long, and putting things back on after they'd fallen on the floor. When asked how frequently you should clean your barbecue, 16 per cent thought you only needed to give it a scrub 'sometimes'. Of those who have never bothered, barring the grill, 35 per cent never thought you needed to, and 23 per cent considered the job too messy and unpleasant. But 28 per cent admitted they haven't bothered using theirs because it was too dirty or they didn't want to have to clean it. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad And 48 per cent of barbecue owners see the level of cleanliness required as different to that required in their kitchen. As a result, 18 per cent are buying a new one at least every two years, with those replacing them doing so due to them rusting over time or being worn out. Despite a laxer approach outdoors, 42 per cent are more worried about germs and bacteria when it comes to barbecues compared to traditional indoor food prep. Professor Christopher Elliott, speaking in partnership with Oven Pride, added: 'Outdoor cooking should follow the same food safety standards as your indoor kitchen. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Treat your BBQ like a pan or chopping board – clean it after every use. Fire alone won't protect your food or your health.' When cleaning their grill – 36 per cent used a grill brush to scrape it clean, followed by 35 per cent who give it a soak in soapy water. More than half (54 per cent) of all barbecue owners polled, via OnePoll, said they'd be surprised if theirs had large amounts of bacteria housed in them. Professor Christopher Elliot added: 'With barbecues, the best flavour comes from the smoke, the heat, and the food – not last week's leftover burgers. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Cleaning your grill is the simplest way to ensure a safe, tasty summer – and as a bonus, you'll also avoid inviting pests into your garden.' 'If you wouldn't cook on a dirty pan, don't cook on a dirty grill.' When asked how frequently you should clean your barbecue, 16 per cent thought you only needed to scrub it 'sometimes' | Shutterstock Top 10 dodgy things adults have done when cooking on the BBQ: Not checking the internal temperature of meat Scraping the grill clean Not cleaning the grill after each use Believing flames kill off bacteria Not covering food to protect from insects Leaving cooked food out in the open for too long Putting things back on the barbecue after it's fallen on the floor Using the same utensils to pick up raw and cooked foods Never actually cleaning the barbecue itself Not properly storing leftovers
