They are words to strike dread in any dinner party guest’s heart: “as it’s not raining, Mike thought he’d strike up the barbecue. It’ll be just a little wait. No fuss.”

But, of course, there will be fuss, and we will wait ages, while everyone gets trollied.  There will be the donning of the crass slogan apron and wielding of giant tongs, amid humble-bragging over marinades, debating whether or not it’s “hot enough” or “too hot”. Oh, and then a last-minute panic over what to serve the vegan friends, whose food preferences have been known since uni a decade or more ago.

But, God, we Brits love a barbie. As National........

© iNews