Back at old house it had a open fire,I used local free mined coal about 7 quid a sack,roughly 4 year go.
Start with empty fire,scrunch paper up,then layer kindling wood,then layer of coal making sure not too much dust in it.
Then make sure air intake is open,light paper with match either side,then I would place a sheet of tin up against fire basket lean poker against it,
When it was roaring a goodun,take poker away knock tin down and close air intake up.
After it was caught everywhere I would add a log or some peas coal which was like pebbles and about fiver a sack,they were too small for