Char-Broil and Pit Boss are heading out of Europe
Right . . . this is the one that matters if you own a Char-Broil or Pit Boss, or have been thinking about buying one.
Char-Broil Europe says it will gradually end distribution of outdoor-cooking products to European retailers by the end of March 2027. Both brands are named in the notice on its UK website. Retailers can continue selling the stock they hold.
The important reassurance for owners is that the company says applicable warranty terms and statutory rights remain unchanged, including for future purchases from its retail partners. Warranty, service and spare-parts enquiries will continue to be handled.
To be honest, that is a big change for people choosing a grill they want to keep for years. My practical take: keep your receipt, model number and serial number together, and ask about support before buying. A reduced price is only one part of the decision.
The notice does not explain the reason for the withdrawal or promise an unlimited supply of every part. I would not turn that into a story about warranties disappearing, because that is not what it says.
The scope matters: this is a phased withdrawal from European retail distribution, not a statement that the brands are closing worldwide. The official notice names Char-Broil and Pit Boss; it does not name Louisiana Grills. For now, it directs enquiries through the usual contact form or consumersupport@charbroil.eu and says changes to contact arrangements will be announced.
Read the official UK service notice.
Read Grillfürst’s confirmation update dated 11 October.
Products and equipment
Gozney tackles the gas-bottle guessing game
Gozney’s accessory launch received fresh coverage on 13 October, and the useful bit for me is the £79.99 Fuel Gauge. It tracks bottle weight to monitor the gas remaining, rather than relying on a pressure reading.
Gozney says it works freestanding or in its Dome and Arc series stands, with wireless integration for the Dome Gen 2 series. That does not mean every oven gets the same connected features, so check your setup.
There is also a £29.99 Gas Bottle Cover. One helps answer whether dinner will run out of fuel; the other tidies up the view. I think I know which problem I would want solved first . . .
Both were available to add to the basket on Gozney’s UK pages when checked. The stated bottle limit is 13kg. This is coverage of the new accessories this week, rather than a claim that every item first appeared on 13 October.
See Gozney’s Fuel Gauge details.
See Gozney’s UK Gas Bottle Cover listing.
Aldi’s black-bun sliders are on the way
Announced on 15 October, Aldi’s Halloween range includes Gruesomely Spooky Sliders at £5.99 for 518g: beef-and-pork patties in black charcoal brioche buns, with cheese sauce and smoky BBQ sauce.
They arrive in UK stores from 26 October, while stocks last. This is an upcoming Halloween party-food launch. Black buns . . . harmless fun, or one step too far? I suspect the kids will have opinions.
The announcement’s £1.49 starting price applies to the wider range. The sliders themselves are £5.99, so budget for the product rather than the headline.
Smokehouse and live-fire news
Leeds’ FYR gets a closer look
Hospitality coverage on 12 and 14 October takes a fresh look at FYR Bar & Grill at Thorpe Park Hotel & Spa in Leeds, following a £500,000 restaurant project. The venue centres its cooking on an open grill and says it uses kiln-dried oak.
The opening was already being reported in September, so this is fresh coverage rather than an opened-this-week claim. Still, watching the fire being managed is probably half the attraction for this crowd. I have not visited.
The hotel’s official page confirms the restaurant is trading and links to its current menus. This is Thorpe Park in Leeds, not the Surrey theme park. The appeal is the visible cooking process; the investment figure alone tells you nothing about what dinner will taste like.
See FYR’s menus and venue details.
Happening this weekend
Surrey Hills Fire and Food Fair
17–18 October 2026 | Hogs Back Brewery, Tongham, Surrey
A timely reminder for this weekend: the fair returns to Hogs Back Brewery, with live-fire cooking, local producers, street food and music. Saturday runs noon to 9pm; Sunday runs 10am to 4pm.
The programme includes Simon Taylor, Wayne Smith and Ian Jones. If watching somebody cook makes you immediately want to go home and try it, this is very much that sort of day out.
The official booking page lists adult day tickets at £15 and concessions at £12.50, with accompanied under-16s free. Tickets cover your chosen day only. Dogs are welcome on leads.
Among the published demonstrations are pork belly cooked over fire and bavette cooked directly in the coals. Pick the day around the sessions you want to see, rather than assuming both days have an identical timetable. The organiser also lists free on-site parking.
See the fair programme and tickets.
BBQ at the NEC . . . with a campsite in mind
13–18 October 2026 | NEC, Birmingham
Already running, rather than newly announced: Birmingham’s Motorhome & Caravan Show continues until Sunday 18 October. Its Hall 17 BBQ area features Andrew Dickens, with Murf from The Beefy Boys listed Friday to Sunday.
The focus is practical campsite cooking, with demonstrations and samples. Useful if your outdoor kitchen sometimes has to fit in the boot. Check current admission and availability before travelling.
The show runs from 13 to 18 October, with advertised opening hours of 10am to 6pm. If you already have a visit planned, Hall 17 is the bit to put on your list. It is part of the wider show, so do not assume the cooking area is a separate free event.
Coming up
Dartmouth’s Fire & Food Quarter
23–25 October 2026 | South Embankment, Dartmouth, Devon
Next weekend’s Dartmouth Food Festival includes the Le Creuset Fire & Food Quarter, presented by BBQ Magazine. Its published programme has five cooking demonstrations each day, using different styles of outdoor cooker.
That is a useful chance to watch techniques rather than just stare at equipment. The wider festival is free to walk around, but some separate ticketed events have already sold out, so check individual listings. This is a diary reminder, not a newly announced festival.
The cooking line-up spans kamado, offset smoker, gas grill, asador and outdoor oven. I think that variety is useful whether you are already committed to one fuel or still working out what suits you. See the official festival website for separate event bookings; free access to the streets does not mean every workshop or tasting is free.
Check Dartmouth Food Festival’s event bookings and availability.
Wingtoberfest, Nottingham
23–24 October 2026 | OUT Nottingham
Wing Fest’s Nottingham event mixes chicken wings with an Oktoberfest-style party. There are Friday evening, Saturday afternoon and Saturday evening sessions.
The evening sessions are over-18s only. Under-18s attending the afternoon must be accompanied by a paying adult, and food traders and bars accept cards rather than cash. Choose the session before rounding up the family . . . that is quite an important detail.
The organiser’s ticket listing distinguishes general admission and VIP options. Check the actual session and release when booking rather than relying on a headline starting price. Pets are not permitted, and the listing says tickets are non-refundable unless the event is cancelled.
Check the sessions and tickets.
The Ginger Pig’s BBQ Cuts Class
28 October 2026 | Marylebone, London
For anyone who wants to understand the meat before worrying about the grill, The Ginger Pig lists a BBQ Cuts Class at 8–10 Moxon Street from 6pm to 9.30pm. The advertised price is £225 per adult, with spaces shown when checked.
It covers preparation including onglet and butterflied lamb. Definitely a considered spend rather than a casual evening out, but learning what you are buying can be as useful as buying another barbecue accessory.
This is an upcoming course listing, with no verified announcement date. Check availability directly before making plans. I would look at the full class description and what you take home when deciding whether that price makes sense for you.
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Know about UK BBQ news, an opening, event, rub or sauce I have missed? Leave a comment and let me know. I would love to hear what you have been cooking, too.
