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If you want smart then a Netatmo one can be battery powered to work with that kind of setup.
https://www.netatmo.com/en-gb/smart-thermostat
Anyone know if this relies on external connectivity? ie. Netatmo's website staying online? So, if they go out of business the heating will be useless? Or, will most of its features be fine without internet connectivity? Basically, I like to keep my stuff as "dumb" as possible but having the ability to set basic stuff like timers would be useful.
Sounds like yes
In the event of an Internet outage
The Thermostat and the Valves will continue to control the heating based on the current weekly schedule or the last setpoint applied before the connection was lost (Away mode, Frost-Guard mode or manual setpoint).
During the outage:
Remote interaction, schedule editing or adjustments will no longer be possible.
The physical buttons on the Thermostat or the Valves can still be used to force manual setpoints. The duration of these setpoints is then that which was defined before the connection was lost in the Energy app advanced settings: Operating mode > Default duration of manual setpoints (3 h by default).
The anticipation or Auto-Adapt function is also disabled because it relies on the outdoor temperature readings that are not available offline.All functions of the Thermostat and Valves will automatically resume once reconnected.
https://wltd.org/posts/3-awesome-ways-to-use-a-smart-thermostat-entirely-offline
£250 lolz
https://www.amazon.co.uk/ecobee3-Smart-Thermostat-Works-Amazon/dp/B06W56TBLN
hippy-
Netatmo are part of Legrand so probably unlikely to go out of business but obviously may just discontinue support at some point.
I don't think many of the smart thermostats work to a decent level without internet. You can generally change the temperature (although I think one didn't even allow that), etc but not change the schedules permanently and stuff.
I picked up a Netatmo off ebay for £60 (mainly because I knew it worked for 2 wire installation) a few years back so if it goes kaput then so be it. I'd be a bit less sanguine if I'd sunk £500 into thermostat and valves and stuff.
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if they go out of business the heating will be useless?
You can probably control it directly using Home Assistant
aggi
jellybaby
Looks like you can replace it with a bog standard thermostat like this
https://www.screwfix.com/p/drayton-rts1-1-channel-wired-room-thermostat/85263
or programmable like this
https://www.screwfix.com/p/horstmann-channel-wired-room-thermostat/12157
If you want smart then a Netatmo one can be battery powered to work with that kind of setup.