ᐅ Wood-burning stove from the 1980s – remove or keep?

Hello everyone,

we are currently wondering whether to keep the "ruins" of the wood stove in the living-dining room or to remove it so we can extend the new flooring and eventually place an "efficient small stove" there. The fireplace is not affected by the upcoming regulations, so it can still be used. Does anyone have a similar setup and can share if it actually helps, or is it even counterproductive by pulling warm air out of the room? The chimney and flue are so large that Santa Claus could fit through them.

This is how it looks. The left row of tiles would be removed, as well as this bench on the left side.
Or completely removed.

I’m looking forward to some experience-based advice!

Thanks

You should not leave a chimney like this, as it is indeed very inefficient. However, there are inserts available that significantly improve efficiency and also look good.