Inapub Magazine Winter 2021 Issue 97

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Issue 97 Winter 2021 £4.95 magazine.inapub.co.uk

02/12/2021 03:15

M I T F E L S Q U E L LWA S S E R G E B R A U T

Naturally brewed in Germany. Proudly served around the world. www.krombacher.com

info@krombacher.co.uk

@KrombacherUK for the facts

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drinkaware.co.uk 15.11.19 12:49 02/12/2021 04:40

e couldn’t shake a stick at the number of emails we get from food and drink brands that have the term “sustainable” in the title.

It has become a buzzword in 2021, with climate change hitting the headlines, Cop26 highlighting the issue, and campaigners from Greta to Insulate Britain shouting for change.

But what does “sustainable” look like on the frontline of your average pub?

Speaking to you, our readers, over recent months, it is clear the issue is moving up your agendas as the pandemic subsides and you can think more than a week ahead. But cashflow remains very tight for most licensees, so big investments in environmentally friendly tech may seem unrealistic. This issue of Inapub is therefore dedicated to making small changes. But when we say “small”, these adjustments can actually have a big impact on both the planet and your bottom line. A simple kitchen waste audit can save you thousands. Refresher training for barstaff can save on wasted beer through overpouring to the tune of £14,000 a year. Switching to LED bulbs, and reminding staff to turn off the lights will save you money at a time when electricity bills are rising steadily.

You can also switch to food and drink brands that have sought out environmentally friendly options for production and packaging and are investing in green technology.

As we look to 2022 and beyond, more and more customers will be seeking to spend their money with businesses that are visibly taking climate change seriously. This magazine features some amazing licensees who are making small changes to help save the planet. We hope they bring you some inspiration and ideas that you can take back to your pub.

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this month Why customers care • The Wheatsheaf’s story

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drink Geetie Singh’s No-Bull rules • Eco-friendly drinks

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eat

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play Walking off the wine • Allotments fit for a queen

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stay Fresh eggs for breakfast at the Eagle and Child

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Sustainable suppliers • How one pub saved waste and money

46 back-bar business How St Austell is targeting Net Zero

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time at the bar Richard Molloy • Plate or slate with the planet

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The Inapub Team

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Editor Caroline Nodder Contributors Richard Molloy, Claire Dodd, Andrew Ives, John Porter, Katy Moses Production editor Ben Thrush

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Chief executive Barrie Poulter

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Visit us online at magazine.inapub.co.uk

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Sales manager Katy Robinson Subscriptions 0800 160 1986 • magazine@inapub.co.uk

01/12/2021 08:16

Cool to be kind Sustainability is back on the agenda for the hospitality industry and its customers as we look ahead to 2022, with pub-goers more likely than ever to actively seek out businesses and brands with strong environmental credentials. Katy Moses, managing director of research consultancy KAM Media, offers some insight on how punters are adapting their behaviour to be kinder to the planet, and how for pubs, making small changes can have a big impact.�

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To 18- to 24-yearolds, the environment is the most serious issue facing the country today

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Almost three-quarters of UK adults say it is important we learn from the coronavirus pandemic to be more kind as a society. As we reflect on lessons learnt over the last two years there is a clear message coming from the ashes: perhaps we could be a little kinder to ourselves, to each other and to our planet?

Health, wellness and sustainability are not new phrases to us. In fact, they were considered important growing trends well before Covid became a household name.

Perhaps one of the first hot topics of 2020 to disappear when the pandemic struck was “sustainability”. All talk of single-use plastics and buying ethical brands went out the window as consumers and retailers went into survival mode.

Drinking more at home often means more packaging. Indeed, sales of bottles and cans of beer and lager from supermarkets soared.

But as the dust settles, we’re seeing the 2020 trend re-appear in a 2022 landscape.

“Sustainability” is back, and this time it’s

serious – Brits say the environment is now the third-most important issue facing the country, after health and the economy.

Your customers care

Now things have calmed down somewhat, consumers have started to care again. They want to be kinder to themselves (their bodies and their minds) and also their planet.

And consumers want to spend their money with companies that care.

Consider all the factors at play when deciding upon what to buy – price, taste, quality, availability, value for money, health, pack size, allergies. But for around one in three of Brits a company’s impact on the environment and ethical stance are major factors influencing their decision. Seventy per cent say they buy products with ecofriendly packaging even if they are slightly more expensive.

And it probably doesn’t come as a surprise that younger customers are even more

magazine.inapub.co.uk 02/12/2021 04:44

driven by environmental factors. To 18- to 24-year-olds the environment is the most important issue facing the country today.

Think of it rather like Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, when, after the basic needs such as price, quality and customer service have been established and compared, there are psychological and self-fulfilling needs that need to be considered. This is where the ethics and ideals of the business come into play. However, it’s not as easy as just saying you care about the environment – you need to live your ideals in order to resonate with the customer.

Katy Moses is managing director of research consultancy KAM Media

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Be authentic

Being kind isn’t just about being good to the environment. It’s also about being ethical, inclusive, and fair towards humans. That might be in your team meeting or at the distant end of your

01/12/2021 22:55

Tips from the trade Chelsey Wroe Head of sustainability, Heineken UK

supply chain. Everything a pub business does – from how it treats its staff to how it disposes of its waste and how it interacts with the local communities in which it operates – is all, somehow or another, in the public arena. And it’s by these actions that many consumers measure a company, not by what it says in its marketing.

Authenticity is a key word for the younger generation, and one with far-reaching implications. Nurturing and maintaining authenticity is a surefire way to gain credibility and loyalty. Conversely, a lack of authenticity – or, worse, trying to fake it – is a one-way ticket to the bottom of the pile.

Be kind

Whatever else you do in 2022, put “being kind” at the forefront of every decision that you make.

Kind to your customers • Put hygiene and safety at the top of your agenda • Offer healthier alternatives for food and snacking • You also have a duty to advocate

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As consumers become increasingly driven by sustainability – with research showing 18- to 34-year-olds prefer to buy brands that have a social and environmental commitment – we see benefits such as greater revenue and loyalty for on-trade operators that are making sustainability a priority. Whether that’s serving sustainable brands such as Inch’s or Old Mout ciders, including locally sourced produce on menus or reviewing dispense systems and other technology for more environmentally friendly options, showcasing that your business aligns with sustainable values can help drive consumers to your venue.

Over the last 10 years, Heineken has laid a solid foundation with our sustainability strategy – Brew a Better World – which touches every part of the business.

The key pillars of Brew a Better World focus on the environment, social sustainability and responsible consumption.

Taking steps to be more sustainable can start with small changes to your pub or bar – together these things can have a big impact. Scrapping straws and limiting disposable coasters, recycling waste products like orange rind as cocktail garnishes and limiting the amount of ice used in drinks will all play their part in making your venue more sustainable.

Bigger changes include going paperless, using local produce and investing in more sustainable and energy-efficient dispense systems.

responsible alcohol consumption, offer a credible alcohol-free range or low-alcohol alternatives • Get involved in community initiatives, sports teams and social groups • Support the local food bank • Be honest with customers in all communications – they will find out if you try to mislead them.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 01/12/2021 22:55

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Tips from the trade Kate Macnamara Western Europe corporate affairs director, Molson Coors Beverage Company One of the best things a venue can do to lower its own environmental impact is to partner with drinks makers that have a good record on sustainability. As one of the UK’s largest brewers, we know it’s our responsibility to support our customers to be greener and ensure they can stock sustainable drinks.

Cellar cooling Keeping your cellar temperature consistent can save a lot on energy use. Perhaps surprisingly, it’s more efficient to keep coolers turned on overnight because re-cooling the space each morning is a bigger energy drain. Only cool the space you need. If the cellar is much larger than is required to hold your keg stock, then energy is being wasted cooling a space that is too big. Simple partition walls, that reduce cellar footprint, can have a dramatic effect on the amount of energy needed for cooling.

Reducing waste Pouring the perfect pint is not only what customers want, it reduces waste as well – one drip tray a day of wasted beer adds up to a staggering £14,000-worth of beer a year on a typical 10-tap bar. Addressing issues like dirty lines, high cellar temperatures and casks and kegs that have been on sale for too long can massively reduce waste from fobbing.

Refresher sessions with staff are also useful, to ensure their pouring technique is avoiding waste and delivering a good-looking pint.

Plastic and packaging It sounds obvious but switching to reusable plastic glasses for outside spaces and events is an easy fix. Customers tend to prefer it to a disposable glass, and it means far less plastic waste.

Kind to your staff • Promote health and safety • Actively build a diverse and inclusive workforce • Be honest with staff in all communications (as above!)

• Practice kindness by giving compliments and praise. It can boost self-esteem, help reduce employee burn-out and absenteeism and improve employee well-being.

Kind to the planet • Source sustainably - terms like “vegan”, “local”, “home brewed”, “certified organic” and “carbon-neutral” will become even more prevalent in the industry

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as brands seek to stand out from the crowd and meet consumers’ increasing demand for “kind” brands.

• Focus on reducing CO2 emissions and energy waste in your venue.

• Re-look at your packaging and single-use plastics, especially if you offer delivery.

• Look at ways to minimise food waste and how you can dispose” in a kinder way – this could be through local food banks, or simply ensuring food bins are used.

How you treat your staff, what you stand for, what you say in public – all this has a profound impact on what your customers think of your business now, and ultimately the extent to which they will engage with it.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 01/12/2021 22:55

Hero the Driver Scheme is Back!

Reward your customers for not drinking and driving by

offering a free second drink when they purchase a CocaCola Original Taste, Coca-Cola Zero Sugar or Diet Coke.

Enquire now about your Hero the Driver POS kit and free stock.* Kits include an LED Coca-Cola Truck, posters, window stickers and chalk boards.

Find out more about our Hero the Driver kits and free stock* by talking to your CCEP rep or by visiting My.CCEP.com. *Whilst stock lasts. 200 cases of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar available via My.CCEP.com in total on a first come first serve basis.

One case per customer. Other offers available via CCEP Field Sales team. © 2021 The Coca-Cola Company. All rights reserved. COCA-COLA, COCA-COLA ZERO and Diet Coke are registered trademarks of The Coca-Cola Company.

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01/12/2021 11:22 28/10/2021 11:04

Tips from the trade Sam Jones Head of sustainability for GB at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) One in three consumers ranks sustainability among their top three purchasing criteria, and living greener lifestyles is growing in importance for many post-Covid and following Cop26. We’ve set out some ambitious targets for our own business to reach net zero by 2040 and are taking significant steps towards this. That said, we know that in order to have the biggest possible impact, we need to work together as an industry. That’s why we have been supporting the Net Zero Pubs, Bars and Restaurants initiatives in association with Net Zero Now, the Sustainable Restaurant Association and Pernod Ricard UK to help the hospitality industry to address its greenhouse gas emissions.

Net Zero pubs, bars & restaurants As well as consumers looking for venues that are more sustainable, employees are keen to work for companies that are taking action on climate. It can be difficult for individual operators to know where to start. In fact, recent research amongst 400 of our smaller licensed customers showed that nearly half didn’t have the necessary information to achieve net zero and needed more guidance. The Net Zero Pubs, Bars and Restaurant initiatives define what “net zero” means for each outlet or operator group, providing guidance on how to reduce carbon emissions, the actions needed to get there, and setting a standard against which they can be certified. Venues that are successfully net zerocertified will be able to display their Net Zero Pub, Net Zero Bar or Net Zero Restaurant accreditation in their outlet, and use various point-of-sale materials to help them showcase their achievement and engage customers. For more information about the Net Zero initiative go to www.netzeronow.org On-site changes Small changes from operators like providing straws made from sustainable material, and ensuring kitchens are managing waste properly, can make a real difference. Operators that communicate their waste and sustainability achievements in their venues, with posters and in menu commentary to help drive the conversation, can create a point of difference that encourages loyalty from increasingly environmentally motivated consumers.

On one level, kindness can simply be phoning a regular who hasn’t visited in a while, thanking a colleague for something they’ve done, supporting a community sports team or choosing to recycle some packaging. But it should also be a bigger part of your business policies and strategy.

Build back better

We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to re-imagine a kinder pub industry in Britain.

One that puts the mental and physical health of its customers, teams, communities and the environment front and centre.

The difficulty and pain that the pub

industry has experienced should be an opportunity to question and reaffirm core values and beliefs. If a building is toppled by an earthquake, we probably wouldn’t reconstruct exactly what was there before, we build back better.

A commitment to be kind can bring many important benefits to ourselves as individuals and to our businesses.

I believe it can play an essential role in reducing the social, economic and mental health consequences of the crisis which are likely to last for years to come, and the Great British pub industry is in a great position to lead the way.

KAM Media is a boutique research consultancy, specialising in hospitality and retail. www.kam-media.co.uk • @KAMMediaInsights

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02/12/2021 03:35

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02/12/2021 05:01

FAMOUS FOR SUSTAINABILITY Andrew Ives finds a pub where sustainable business makes sense

HOW TO BE SUSTAINABLE DITCH BLUE ROLL in favour of goodquality cloths, and wash them in ecofriendly detergent ASK YOUR PRODUCE SUPPLIER if you can provide them with re-usable bins for deliveries =USE LOCAL SUPPLIERS

if possible. This reduces food miles and means produce will be fresh and tasty Ollie has written two books on sustainable food and drink. They’re available online: Join the Greener Revolution: 30 easy ways to live and eat sustainably 30 Easy Ways to Join the Food Revolution: A sustainable cookbook Tips from Ollie Hunter

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The Wheatsheaf, a thatch-roofed, grade II-listed brick building, is a beautiful and inviting village pub. It’s the kind that looks almost impossible to walk past without nipping inside for a quick half.

But this wasn’t always the case. According to Ollie Hunter, locals used to describe The Wheatsheaf as the sort of place where you had to wipe your feet as you left, due to the state of the carpet. “It was run-down and dilapidated,” Ollie says. “The community were looking to try and buy it, but couldn’t get the funds together, so we took it over.”

Ollie and his wife Lauren began restoring The Wheatsheaf in 2015, with the ultimate aim of making it the most sustainable pub in the UK. In 2019 the pub was named Business of the Year in the Sustainable Restaurant Association’s annual awards, an accolade earned by putting sustainability at the heart of every choice the team makes.

Ollie, who progressed to the semi-final of Masterchef in 2013, attributes this strategy to a love of flavour, and David Attenborough.

“When you have a deep affiliation with nature and an understanding of how amazing food is when you are connected to nature, you realise sustainability and flavour are intrinsically linked. I watched David Attenborough’s Planet Earth back in 2007, and the last episode was all about what we are doing to the planet. Ever since then we’ve come to realise the more sustainable you are, the better the food is, and the more joyful your life is and the easier running a business is.”

Ollie believes using home-grown or local supplies that originate within 30 miles of the pub is key to achieving sustainability in a way that makes sense for the business.

“All of our ale and lager is local and organic. We get cider and apple juice from my dad, who makes it on his farm three miles away. We installed a still and sparkling water system, primarily to stop buying bottled water, but then we thought we’d have a go at making our own soft drinks. So we make our own lemon or ginger cordial, or blackcurrant cordial when the blackcurrants are out, and you suddenly realise you’re not having to buy in as many products and you’re making better GP margins from home-made soft drinks. It’s always the simple things. People talk more about our home-made crisps than anything else. We make our own salts, whether it’s a chilli one or a rosemary one, and because the crisps are warm, straight out the fryer, they just taste incredible.”

Sweating the small stuff

While The Wheatsheaf’s current business was built from the ground up to be sustainable and organic, Ollie believes any operation can become more sustainable through what he calls capital and systemic changes. Capital changes are big projects that take time to recoup their cost, such as installing more efficient heating, whereas systemic changes, like adopting a zero waste policy, offer immediate sustainability and cost benefits.

“Systemic change is just saying ‘I’m not going to throw something away’ or ‘I’m not going to buy in plastic any more’ and that’s easier to do. For example, get rid of blue roll.

You don’t need blue roll in your life. Have really good-quality cloths that you wash regularly in eco detergent. And I really recommend buying whole animals if you can, even beef. All the beef we use now is about £7.50 to £8 per kilo, it doesn’t matter

trade.inapub.co.uk 01/12/2021 10:26

what’s new.

The Wheatsheaf Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire Ownership: Freehouse Style: Community/rural Food: ‘Upmarket peasant’ Drinks: Organic beers and wines, local real cider Energy supplier: Ecotricity if it’s mince or fillet steak, because we’ve bought the whole animal and butchered it down and stored it ourselves.”

Ollie stresses that the decision to dedicate The Wheatsheaf to sustainable practices has not reduced its charm as a traditional village pub, but has transformed it into a place where guests can enjoy themselves, and learn about sustainability if they want to.

“It’s a mixture of tradition meets modern thinking. The traditional pub bit being it’s a beautiful thatched pub in the middle of a beautiful village in the countryside, surrounded by gardens and rivers. But when you go inside it definitely has that sense of modern thinking, and sustainability exudes out of everything. We try to make the pub feel like we’re not preaching to our customers, they still come to a normal pub, but we’ve taken care of all the big decisions. They don’t have to think about sustainability, they can just come in and enjoy themselves. If they want to know the stories behind each dish, the suppliers and why we chose them, we can do it. But otherwise we try to keep the experience just that of going to the pub.”

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Did you know...?

by BEN THRUSH

The UK foodservice sector has higher CO2 emissions than Costa Rica, a country of five

million people.1

Wasted food costs the hospitality and foodservice industry £3.5bn a year.2 That’s

enough to buy the entire playing squads of Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool.3 What’s worse, 75% of that food could have been eaten.

Brewing is getting greener.

British brewers cut their CO2 emissions by 42% between 2008 and 2018. The amount of energy required to brew a pint of beer was also reduced by 20% in this decade, while brewing one hectolitre of beer now takes only 3.5 hectolitres of water.5 Breweries also recover and re-use 98% of their waste.6

Litter on beaches has dropped to its lowest level in 20 years.9 The

Marine Conservation Society credits the ban on plastic items including straws, but says the government needs to go further.

Heating and hot water accounts for 40% of energy use in the average business premises, so make

sure you don’t have the heating switched on in unoccupied areas.

Another common pitfall to avoid is changing the settings to deal with a temporary problem, then forgetting about it.10

Around 27,000 trees are cut down every day to make toilet paper. Give a

shit? Recycled and bamboo-based brands are available.11

The UK throws away 13 billion steel cans every year. Stacked on top of each other, these would make three towers reaching to the moon.7

Pic: Fabrizo Andrea Bertani/ Shutterstock.com

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The energy saved by recycling one aluminium drinks can is enough to power a TV for 3 hours.8

WINTER 2021

1. Sustainable Restaurant Association.

2. guardiansofgrub.com. 3. thesun.co.uk.

4. guardiansofgrub.com. 5. BBPA. 6. Environment Agency. 7. www.scrib.org.uk 8. recycle-more.co.uk.9. independent.co.uk.

10. yuenergy.co.uk. 11. ecofriendlyhabits.com

magazine.inapub.co.uk 02/12/2021 03:41

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To add 8-Track to your line-up and find out more: email: hello@8track.com call: Jeremy 07966 042192 or Matt 07976 693688

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01/12/2021 11:38

drink GOODBYE TO THE BOTTLE?

Pic: Sheila Fitzgerald / Shutterstock.com

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Could the clink, clink of glass bottles soon be a thing of the past? It won’t have escaped your notice that the number of canned products in your fridges will have ramped up over recent years.

Cheaper, more widely recycled, and the packaging of choice for everything from craft beers to upstarts such as hard seltzers, cans are having a “moment”. But could that moment become a permanent fixture?

Step forward the Wine Traders for Alternative Formats, or WTAF to their friends. This alliance of sustainable wine companies want to reduce the carbon footprint of the industry by axing the age-old glass wine bottle. Holding its first tasting dur-

by CLAIRE DODD ing Cop26, it aims to showcase the breadth and quality of alternatively packaged wines, including cans, bag-in-box, kegs, and even paper bottles.

A real sign of the times for the era of the can, is the opening of the UK’s first can-only bar, well and truly demonstrating that cans are not just for the off-trade. Bō KIRI offers over 200 drinks – wines, cocktails, beers, hard-seltzers, and non-alc spirits and mixers – that customers drink directly from the can.

There’s no ice, glassware or fruit, while the energy used to manufacture, ship, and store is also vastly reduced. It aims to be “the most sustainable bar ever”, in fact.

But what is there beyond cans? A number of the “big boy” drinks makers have been tinkering with paper bottles for a while. Last year Diageo revealed plans for the world’s first ever 100 per cent plastic-free paperbased spirits bottle, made entirely from sustainably sourced wood. At the time, it said Johnnie Walker would be the first brand to adopt the format, from early 2021, though we’ve yet to see it.

And Bacardi has recently announced plans for the world’s most eco-friendly bottle, made from Nodax PHA, a plant-based biopolymer, which is said to biodegrade in 18 months. It plans to have the bottles on the shelves by 2023, with its rums debuting first.

Will these bottles have a place on your back-bar? Will they be hardwearing enough to cope with the demands of a busy pub?

Will your customers think they look premium enough? All these queries are yet to be answered. But two things are clear; firstly, that eco-packaging innovation is only moving one way, and secondly, that the quest for sustainability is never done. As technology keeps moving forward, your back-bar may soon begin to look a little different.

WINTER 2021

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01/12/2021 11:41 28/10/2021 11:11

drink.

Drinking to

by CLAIRE DODD

a sustainable future If your head is now whirring with information and possibilities, sit down and have a drink. Being more eco-friendly – and reducing the waste you produce and ultimately, saving money – needn’t be complicated. Though we appreciate it can seem it.

With customers now actively seeking out products that are better for the planet, there’s a lot of companies and suppliers out there shouting about what they’re doing to make their businesses better. And that’s great. But while you may be seeking out greener energy suppliers, recycling more of your waste, or changing your food menu to make a difference, some of these things are not as visible to your customers.

Switching up your drinks menu to add some eco-friendly options however, is. From zero-waste spirits to beers made from food waste, we’re highlighting liquids that are produced in a sustainable way.

While some of these products shout about their eco-credentials on their (recyclable) packaging, others may take some explanation. Why not create an ecofriendly section on your menu or backbar, to showcase these better-for-the-planet options?

Discarded Grape Skin Vodka

William Grant has been championing its range of spirits made from rescued and re-used ingredients that otherwise would have gone to waste, since 2018. Beginning with a Sweet Cascara Vermouth made with coffee berries left over from the

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The business case for eco Need a business reason to embrace eco drinks? New research from eco NGO WRAP has found that 60 per cent of British consumers want UK businesses to act immediately on climate change, or more specifically, 57 per cent want food and drink businesses to act.

Chelsey Wroe, head of sustainability at Heineken, says: “Having a clear stance on your environmental impact can have a positive impact on both loyalty and spend.

With 66 per cent of consumers choosing to purchase products or services based on their ‘environmental friendliness’, particularly among those aged 18 to 34. Businesses that are striving to do the right thing and reduce their carbon footprint are set to appeal to the more eco-conscious drinker – in turn bringing you greater revenue opportunities.”

Even small changes, like refresher training for barstaff on how to pour the perfect pint, can lead to less wastage, and substantial savings. “Pouring the perfect pint reduces waste,” says Kate Macnamara, western Europe corporate affairs director at Molson Coors. “One drip tray a day of wasted beer adds up to a staggering £14,000 worth of beer a year on a typical 10-tap bar.”

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coffee-making process, there’s also a Banana Peel Rum made with skins from a flavour house. The latest launch is a vodka made from Chardonnay grapes recovered from the wine-making process. Even the packaging is eco-friendly, made with 100 per cent recyclable packaging, from glass to label to cork.

Koskenkorva Vodka Climate Action

The world’s first vodka made from regeneratively farmed barley, Krokenkorva aims to remove CO2 from the atmosphere, storing it in the ground to produce carbon sinks that help to reduce the impact of climate change. This new Finnish vodka also uses the husks of the barley left over from distillation to power the distillery’s own bioenergy plant. The single-estate vodka is said to be creamy, with a peppery spice, and is distributed in the UK by Indie Brands.

What are drinks companies doing better?

Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP) uses 100 per cent renewable energy to produce all of its drinks, and has reduced carbon emissions by 43 per cent since 2010.

Over the past seven years, Heineken has helped restore over 240 community orchards across England and Scotland as part of its partnership with The Orchard Project.

Molson Coors claims to have become the first major brewer to produce its beers and ciders using 100 per cent renewable energy, and is ahead of its target to reduce its UK carbon emissions by 50 per cent by 2025.

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Gusto Drinks

Soft drinks can be eco too, you know. Using Fairtrade ingredients across its entire range, which includes a Cola, Slim Cola, and Cherry Cola, Gusto is sweetened with agave from Jalisco in Mexico. When planted alongside nitrogen-fixing trees, agave can help draw large amounts of CO2 from the atmosphere – the equivalent of 30-60 tons of CO2 per hectare per year, helping to also improve land quality. Every kilo purchased, also helps fund education, infrastructure and healthcare in the Mexican farming community where the agave is grown.

Mermaid Gin and Vodka

The Isle of Wight distillery is investing back into the local waters, working with the Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust to monitor and restore seagrass meadows that provide a habit for wildlife, and help prevent seabed erosion. It is estimated that 92 per cent of these seagrass meadows have been lost over the last 100 years. That beautiful packaging is also certified plastic-free by plastics campaign group A Plastic Planet, and uses a compostable seal and biodegradable labels.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 02/12/2021 02:32

Cask Marque Become one of the best 10,000 cask ale pubs in Britain

‘Cask Marque’ is an independent scheme that assesses the beer quality in pubs to ensure standards are driven and maintained.

Qualified assessors visit pubs to test the beers temperature, appearance, aroma and taste. pubs have increased sales since 88% ofgaining the accreditation

of accredited outlets said they would 98% recommend the scheme to other licensees Benefits include: n Featured on the CaskFinder app - used 60,000 times a month to find Cask Marque pubs n A Cask Marque plaque – recognised by 77% of beer drinkers as a badge of quality n Point of Sale material – to help promote this achievement to customers n Random inspections – helping pubs to consistently serve quality beer n Access to cellar management training n Regular newsletters Sign Up today by visiting cask-marque.co.uk or calling 01206 752212

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10/05/2021 10:58

Plymouth Gin Sustainable Bottle

Pernod Ricard’s new bottle design eliminates all single-use plastic, reducing the glass weight by 15 per cent, equating to 60 tonnes of carbon a year. The Plymouth Gin distillery already uses 100 per cent renewable electricity, while botanicals are recycled via an anaerobic digestion power plant that turns waste into energy. The brand also supports the Ocean Conservation Trust.

Arbikie Nàdar Vodka & Gin

Scottish “field-to-bottle” distiller Arbikie grows the ingredients for its products on its own estate on the east coast of Scotland.

Described as the world’s first climatepositive spirits – meaning they remove more carbon dioxide from the air than they create – it’s all down to the power of the pea.

Unlike other crops usually used for spirits, peas require no synthetic nitrogen fertiliser, and improve soil quality, offsetting the fertiliser requirements of other crops. You can drink your peas as a vodka, or a gin. The gin has a hint of minerality, and a burst of lemongrass and lime. The vodka has a little spice and a floral nose.

Swansea University, Bluestone uses algae to capture and repurpose CO2 produced by yeast during the brewing process, in its bid to become carbon-neutral. It also uses reed bed filtration systems for wastewater, plants trees, and sources electricity from 100 per cent renewables. Brews in the range include red ales, Pilsen, and British hop IPA.

Toast

Toast was one of the first drinks brands to take wasted food – bread in this case – and turn it into something useful; beer. It estimates it has saved over two million slices so far, equating to 42 tonnes of CO2 emissions, and over 250,000 litres of water saved. According to

Bluestone Brewing Co

Algae. Yep, the green sludge is being used by the Pembrokeshire brewery to offset the impact of its brewing. Working with

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the WWF, food waste contributes six to eight per cent of all human-caused greenhouse gas emissions. There’s a lager, pale ale, American pale ale, and session IPA. To coincide with Cop26, Toast led a group of 25 brewers including Guinness and Adnams to write a letter to world leaders urging them to tackle the climate emergency. In partnership with Rainforest Trust UK and Soil Heroes, each has created a beer using surplus bread as part of the limited-edition Companion Series, with proceeds going towards protecting 3.25 million trees in threatened tropical rainforests.

Inch’s Cider

Heineken’s eco-conscious cider brand uses British apples, grown and sourced 40 miles from its Herefordshire mill, turning all apple cider waste into green energy.

Nc’Nean

Independent, and doing things its own way, Nc’Nean is Scotland’s first 100 per cent organic whisky distillery, and uses only renewable sources for its energy. In fact, in July it became the first whisky distillery to achieve verified net zero status for carbon emissions, 20 years ahead of the industry target. Leftover grains feed cows, and waste is spread on the fields as fertiliser.

After launching with its Botanical Spirit (somewhere between whisky and gin), its first Single Malt whisky came out last year, bottled in the industry’s first ever 100 per cent recycled glass bottle.

Its new Quiet Rebels is made up of individual expressions, rested in different barrels, such as Annabel (named after its founder), and rested in former Tokaji and bourbon barrels.

Cooper King

One of just a handful of UK distilleries to run entirely on green energy, Cooper King also saves energy and water by using vacuum stills. A closed-loop system means coolant water is used over and over, saving 26 tonnes a year. Spent grains are used by local farmers to feed cattle, while spent botanicals are used by a local bakery in bread and pastry glazes.

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Ingredients are sourced locally, and packaging is plastic-free and lightweight to save glass.

It also plants one square metre of woodland in the Yorkshire Dales for each bottle sold, equating to 50kg of CO2 offset for every bottle. Its gins include Dry, Herb, and Smoked + Spiced, while a whisky is on the way.

Greensand Ridge distillery

This Kent distillery uses 100 per cent renewable energy, storing waste heat for later use, and sources high-quality ingredients that supermarkets won’t take, from local farmers.

Ingredients are also sourced to reflect the flavours of the woods, orchards, fields and hedgerows surrounding the distillery. Its multiaward winning London dry gin for example, uses oak moss, gorse and cob nuts, all to be found within a mile of the distillery.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 02/12/2021 02:33

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Trailblazer for the trade

by RICHARD MOLLOY

‘God I bloody hate that name,’ says Geetie, pointing at the floor. ‘Sorry, what?’ I reply, a little startled.

‘Manhole cover. Why is it a manhole cover? That means I can’t go down there!’

“Do you want to go down there?” I ask, recovering a little.

“No, but that’s not the point. Why are things always named after men?”

This was the opening exchange of my meeting with Geetie Singh-Watson MBE at the start of my guided tour of her 17thcentury Devon pub. Despite the chilly walk there, I was suddenly feeling extremely male.

Geetie is passionate about pubs and the environment. Her MBE for services to the organic pub trade was awarded back in 2009 – a decade before most of us even realised how damaging plastic straws are.

She could easily and correctly be described as the source of the organic pub

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movement, opening the world’s first certifiedorganic pub, The Duke of Cambridge in Islington, in 1998. Geetie engages and educates on all things environmental with a confidence drawn from upbringing, experience and endeavour. It clearly frustrates her that it has taken this long for governments to act: “I grew up on a commune in the Midlands in the 1970s. We did it all – we were recycling, we were organic; we thought about how much we drove. The information was there, it just wasn’t being discussed.”

Her latest venture, The Bull Inn in Totnes, is a stripped-back, eclectic joy. Upcycled furniture-finds and donations mix with subtle lighting. Bare lath and plaster walls somehow

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9

No-Bull rules to trade by

1. Choose green energy suppliers Ecotricity or Green Energy – the ones who actually build the windfarms. It’s one of the most positive changes you can make!

2. Be rigorous in procurement Buy recycled, Fairtrade, organic or rechargeable wherever you can – as a business you wield the buying power.

3. Trade with those who get it Choose suppliers who understand that there is no us vs Earth. add style and thought to the letting rooms and passageways whilst saving the time, expense and environmental impact of periodical redecoration. Narrow strips of carpet on the stairs are enough to deaden the footsteps of guests but are also minimalist and durable – phrases that pop up regularly during our chat.

Wine, spirits, coffee, mixers, food: everything is organic. Well, almost everything.

Geetie mentions the phrase “conscious compromise” a few times. “If we feel aligned with the values of a local supplier, we might use them even if their produce isn’t organic.”

Co-operatives, community-owned projects and other locally enhancing businesses fall into this ideal. There are also nine No-Bull Rules that form the ethos of the pub and serve to both inform and subtly educate the clientele about sustainability, community and responsibility without preaching.

Draught beer comes from local outfits Stroud Organic Brewery and New Lion, with a bottled range including Sam Smith’s Organic Lager, Hepworth Blonde Organic Lager and Dunkerton’s Organic Cider. Organic is a legally protected word, Geetie explains, and can’t be used on a product unless it’s gone through a certification process.

Organic beers are fairly common these days, but this has not always been the case.

Geetie’s reply to my question about the ease of sourcing organic beers alludes to her pioneering dogmatism: “When I opened my first organic pub in Islington, we couldn’t get any draught organic beers, so I persuaded three local brewers to go organic for us.

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4. Question everything Be wise to greenwash. Ask for more information than you’re given.

5. Choose certified first If they have no independent audit, you can’t really know what’s going on.

6. Think about who is getting your money Choose to deal with co-operatives, employee-owned businesses, B Corps, charities, and social enterprises first, NOT tax-dodgers.

7. Reduce and challenge the packaging Return what you can to the supplier.

8. Don’t create unnecessary journeys Avoid short journeys and excessive deliveries.

9. Go grassroots If politics isn’t serving your business, collaborate and work locally, creating alliances with organisations in your community instead. Together we have a voice.

That’s quite cool, isn’t it?” She smiles.

Very cool indeed.

I leave The Bull Inn warm from a wonderful local, organic onion soup, and greatly enlightened about organic produce and the world in general. And as I walk, I look down and, for the first time, notice just how many personhole covers there are in our streets.

magazine.inapub.co.uk 02/12/2021 03:53

TIME for

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH ALE from Brewed with 100% Surrey grown Fuggles hops

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28/09/2021 20:14

eat.

eat ON ALL OF OUR PLATES

“

It sometimes seems individual efforts don’t mean much, but in pubs, relatively small changes can have quite a significant impact

At a time when food prices are rising and the supply chain sometimes seems stretched to breaking point, expecting busy pubs to also check whether the food they buy is orang-utan- or dolphin-friendly might seem a step too far.

However, in reality there is, of course, no distinction between licensees and pub staff, and pub customers, all of whom have the same pressing concerns about sustainability, and the same commitment as individuals to trying to make a difference.

As we speak, the world’s great and powerful are climbing back into their limousines, private jets and, in Jeff Bezos’ case, their phallic spaceships, and heading home from the Cop26 climate change conference in Glasgow.

There have been many grand announcements, big promises, and self-congratulatory pats on the back. Whether the hands of the Doomsday clock have been pushed back by even a second on their inexorable path to midnight is a different question.

It sometimes seems that individual efforts don’t mean much in the face of governments and corporations that talk a good fight, but actually seem to move very slowly.

Even so, we all have to believe we are making a difference as we separate the food waste, refill our water bottles, and put on another jumper rather than turn up the heating.

In pubs, relatively small changes can have quite a significant impact. This section features the successes of a couple

of pubs signed up to the WRAP Guardians of Grub programme, as well as a round-up of some of the activity from food suppliers aimed at supporting operators to offer sustainable products that also have genuine consumer appeal.

There is plenty of support available to help operators tackle the issues. As well as the resources and advice on the Guardians of Grub website, www.guardiansofgrub.com, there is also the Sustainable Restaurant Association www.thesra.org For advice on energy saving, the Carbon Trust has hospitality-specific resources at www.carbontrust.com/resources/ hospitality-sector-energy-saving-guide, while the Foodservice Equipment Association has a wide range of guides at www.fea.org.uk. A few small changes can start to make a big difference.

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Never let a crisis

by JOHN PORTER

The Queens found swapping in potato peelers for knives helped them save £7,000 a year

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go to waste

Food waste is one key sustainability issue that pubs are in a position to tackle directly.

‘Introduce one change at a time’, as the Guardians of Grub initiative advises, and you can make a real difference to both the planet and your bottom line.

For Dave Young, tenant with regional brewer Robinsons at The Ship Inn in Roose, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, that first change was a month-long project to monitor the pub’s food waste. This involved separating it into three bins – for “spoilage”, “prep” and “plate waste”.

Dave says he “doesn’t like to see waste on principle” and having seen food waste coming back into the kitchen on plates, he also recognised the potential to increase his GP on food by cutting portion sizes. While some of the kitchen team were sceptical at first, once the process was under way “they really started to see the point”.

The project found that the pub threw away around 13.5 kilos of food per day, worth an estimated £16.20. Most of this, 66 per cent, was plate waste, including large quantities of chips, garnish and sauces. Another 21 per cent came from prep waste, mainly peelings, while 13 per cent was spoilage.

In response, The Ship was able to reduce plate waste by 67 per cent by offering smaller portion sizes, particularly of chips, and

putting out smaller portions of sauce. “Customers were right behind us, and know that they’re welcome to have more if they want it, and only have to ask. The pub also stopped putting garnishes on sandwiches, burgers and other meals.

Spoilage was reduced by 84 per cent as waste awareness among kitchen staff was raised, while a switch to pre prepared vegetables and chips cut prep waste by 80 per cent.

By week four, waste had been reduced by a massive 72 per cent, an estimated annual saving of £2,454, although Dave acknowledges that efforts to keep waste down weren’t top priority when the pub reopened after lockdown. With a new menu launching in January 2022, there will be a renewed emphasis on cutting food waste.

Meanwhile, pub operator Thwaites wanted to take the success it had seen in implementing the Guardians of Grub scheme in its managed pubs and implement it across its tenancies. Nicola Underwood, Thwaites food support manager, selected The Queens in Warwick-on-Eden, Cumbria for a trial.

In The Queens’ case, it turned out 66 per cent of food waste came from prep, mainly as a result of incorrect equipment being used in the kitchen. The simple introduction of using peelers in place of knives for vegetables such as potatoes and carrots, along with a few other measures, saw waste cut 62 per cent overall, an annual saving of £7,000.

“We’re now going to have a big push on the initiative across the business in the new year,” says Nicola.

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Guardians of Grub The Ship found they were throwing away lots of chips left over on customers’ plates, so they cut portion sizes while letting customers know they only had to ask if they wanted more

Sustainability organisation WRAP has created Guardians of Grub to help businesses tackle the estimated 1.1 million tonnes of food thrown away by the hospitality and foodservice industry every year. This figure is based on an estimate that 18 per cent of the food purchased by the sector is thrown away, whether that’s because goes out of date before it can be served, or is left on the side by customers and scraped into a food waste bin.

Resources on the www.GuardiansofGrub.com website include: • The Getting Started guide, which explains the steps needed to set up and start measuring food waste • A 15-minute Cost Saving Skills course, to help understand the basics of tackling food waste • The Becoming a Champion Course, which has five levels, with certifications for completing each, helping guide businesses through the food waste auditing and reducing process, covering every stage from menu design and procurement to prepping and plating up • The cost saving calculator, showing how much money and carbon can be saved – all it needs is estimated cover numbers • Downloadable posters and social media materials that pubs can use to get staff and customers inspired to get behind the campaign on site, as well as online using the #guardiansofgrub hashtag Food Waste Action Week 2022, organised

by WRAP, takes place from 7-13 March 2022, and will be an opportunity for businesses to spotlight the work they’ve done to tackle the issue, Pubs signed up as Guardians of Grub will be given Badges of Honour which can be used on menus, social media etc. For more details see www.wrap.org.uk

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26/07/2021 23:44

eat.

Supplying the

by JOHN PORTER

Hake and Chorizo cassoulet made to Young’s Foodservice’s recipe

sustainability

Conventional wisdom says punters leave their health concerns at the door when they go to the pub, with indulgent choices tending to win out.

However, the growth in sales of no- and lowalcohol drinks, along with plant-based dishes, suggests customers are growing more conscientious with their menu choices. Postlockdown, customers are also more concerned about sustainability issues.

A YouGov survey on behalf of Deloitte found a third of UK consumers have reduced their meat and animal products consumption, while the Soil Association reported that sales of organic products increased by almost 10 per cent in 2020.

All of which means that pubs can, and should, expect more questions about the food and drinks on the menu, whether that’s free-range chicken, sustainably caught fish or organic produce.

Dr Tracey Jones, global director of food business at Compassion in World Farming, says: “Today’s consumers want to know more about the provenance of their food; where it has come from, how it reached their plate, and increasingly, the effect food production is having on animal welfare, climate change and the environ-

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ment. Diets are changing to reflect these concerns as more people adopt flexitarian, climatarian, vegetarian or vegan diets.”

Fish for the future

Concerns about the sustainability of fish and seafood have continued to grow, prompting suppliers to respond accordingly. At the recent Marine Stewardship Council Awards, M&J Seafood was named Foodservice Wholesaler of the Year, while Direct Seafoods was awarded the Fresh Fish Food Service Supplier of the Year title.

Laky Zervudachi, Direct Seafoods’ director of sustainability, says: “By working closely with the fishing fleet, we can highlight changing availability and ensure the widest possible choice of fresh fish and seafood for all our customers, as well as making the most of every catch to reduce food waste as far as possible.

“As more younger consumers in particular adopt a flexitarian or pescatarian approach to their diet, they are reducing

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eat. meat and increasingly opting for fish choices. These consumers also expect sustainability concerns to be factored in by chefs planning menus. That’s not a trend any business can afford to ignore for very long.”

Joel Carr, development chef at Young’s Foodservice, suggests broadening the range of fish species used: “There are many types of fish that each offer their own taste and texture.” The company supplies hake fillets and smoked haddock fillets, and “both of these can be served in so many ways”. Recipes including Chorizo Cassoulet and Smoked Haddock with Cheese & Chive Sauce are at www.youngsfoodservice.co.uk/recipes

The whole package

With packaging as significant a sustainability issue as food, wholesaler Brakes has introduced a new packaging policy aimed at ensuring that suppliers maximise the use of materials that are recyclable, reusable or compostable where appropriate. Brakes was named Sustainable Supplier of the Year at the Footprint 2020 Awards, and backed that up this year with the Food Redistribution Award at the Waste2Zero Awards and the CSR prize at the Springboard Excellence Awards.

Rethinking the burger

With burgers one of the most widely offered dishes on pub menus, providing alternatives is increasingly important.

Rollover has launched Meat Free Burgers made with pea protein. “The meat-free category is continuing to gain traction, and as a leader in the hot

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food-to-go category, we knew we had to offer consumers a plant-based alternative to our best-loved burgers,” says Elodie Bretz, the company’s head of marketing.

Meanwhile, with good timing, bakery supplier Lantmännen Unibake has expanded its range of gourmet vegan buns with a Brioche Style burger bun. Sam Winsor, brand manager for Americana, cites research showing consumers are willing to pay more for a burger in a gourmet bun. “To stand out outlets need to offer a great-quality gourmet burger, and alternative options to suit specific diets and preferences should not compromise on taste or quality.” Lantmannen Unibake’s environmental strategy includes recycling all of its bakery waste, reducing its use of plastics and transitioning to fossilfuel-free production in its bakeries.

A meatless generation?

As evidence that a new generation of consumers may have very different expectations when it comes to food choice, meat alternative brand Meatless Farm quotes a survey which found that 18 per cent of four to 16-year-olds have no idea that steak, sausages and ham are meat, and a similar proportion, 19 per cent, think sausage rolls and nuggets have no meat in them.

Morten Toft Bech, Founder of Meatless Farm, said: “Today’s children care about the planet and are significant in driving change, but what strikes us about the research is the need for better education about the food system from farm to fork and how we can work together to build a more sustainable planet.”

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10/05/2021 11:00

ROUND 5

ROUND 4

ROUND 3

ROUND 2

ROUND 1

2022 fixtures Saturday 5th February Ireland v Wales - 2:15pm Scotland v England - 4:45pm Sunday 6th February France v Italy - 3:00pm Saturday 12th February Wales v Scotland - 2:15pm France v Ireland - 4:45pm Sunday 13th February Italy v England - 3:00pm Saturday 26th February Scotland v France - 2:15pm England v Wales - 4:45pm Sunday 27th February Ireland v Italy - 3:00pm Friday 11th March Wales v France - 8:00pm Saturday 12th March Italy v Scotland - 2:15pm England v Ireland - 4:45pm Saturday 19th March Wales v Italy - 2:15pm Ireland v Scotland - 4:45pm France v England - 8:00pm GREENE KING

PROUD TO PITCH IN Greene King IPA funds grassroots sport NOMINATE YOUR LOCAL CLUB FOR A CASH GRANT

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play.

play WINTER SPORTS

“

There are plenty of opportunities, even at this time of year, to balance promoting the benefits of exercise against the lure of a roaring pub fire and a glass of something robust

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Someone recently told me that their response to the clocks going back at the end of October was to go for an early evening stargazing walk, making the most of the darker nights to admire the celestial grandeur of the cosmos. Which made my admission that my tactic was to close the curtains at 5pm and crack open a bottle of wine seem all the more inadequate.

We all know that we need to be more

BY JOHN PORTER active – the official NHS advice is that adults should do some type of physical activity every day, and moderate intensity activity, such as brisk walking, for at least an hour-and-a-half a week.

While not everyone is cut out for team sports, we can all enjoy the benefits of fresh air and gentle exertion, and that can be complementary to going to the pub.

A few years ago my wife and I acquired a Circular Pub Walks book, which featured hour-long country walks that started and ended at a pub.

The fact that the book was already 10 years old added to the excitement, as there was never any guarantee that all the landmarks, turnstiles, paths etc described were still there, but we managed some exercise and a few decent pub lunches.

The Queen’s Arms in Cornwall, featured in this section, offers its customers and community the opportunity for fresh air and exercise, as well as to contribute to sustainability, by growing food on its allotments.

That scheme was set up with the help of Pub is the Hub, which has also recently worked with another pub to set up a wildlife zone and play area. Others have been supported to open shops and cafés, spotlighting local and seasonal produce.

There are plenty of opportunities, even at this time of year, for pubs to balance promoting the benefits of exercise against the lure of a roaring pub fire and a glass of something robust – even if it’s just a boot scraper for walkers and a bowl of water for their dogs.

It’s also a good time to think about ensuring play areas, gardens and other outdoor facilities are in good shape for when spring comes – which can’t be too soon for some of us. Pass the corkscrew.

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Queen fingers

by JOHN PORTER

“

Persuading customers to grow their own food for their visit to the pub might seem as unlikely as asking them to brew their own pint or build their own barstool, but it’s what happens at The Queen’s Arms, at Breage near Helston in Cornwall.

Since 2017, the pub has turned its adjacent field over to allotments, allowing locals to get out in the fresh air, and grow their own fruit and veg. More recently, the activity has extended to livestock keeping with the addition of a flock of chickens on one of the plots.

The scheme was set up by the pub’s previous licensees with the support of Pub is The Hub, the body set up to support a range of pub community initiatives. In return for a nominal £1 a year rent paid to the pub, allotment holders have free rein to enjoy the

outdoor life. In a clause that would be familiar to medieval peasants, the deal also includes an agreement to contribute 10 per cent of their produce to The Queen’s Arms.

Current licensees Matt and Emma Ferguson inherited the allotment arrangement when they took over the pub’s tenancy in 2019, running it in addition to their existing Cornish pub business, The Three Tuns at St Keverne. They had no hesitation about continuing to offer allotments as an integral part of the pub’s place in the community,

We’re a communityled pub and anything we can do to promote that, we will. The allotments are a big part of that

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Fancy going green (or purple sprouting?)

For any pub with a spare bit of land and a few enthusiastic regulars interested in growing their own, the National Allotment Society offers a range of advice and resources, including everything from growing fruit and veg to beekeeping, as well as advice on running and managing allotments – see www.nsalg.org.uk Recognising that pubs should be the centre or hub of community life, and can also provide essential services beyond drinks, food and entertainment, Pub is the Hub is a not-for-profit organisation that can advise pubs on broadening their range of services, and in many cases also offer a lifeline to communities that might otherwise not have a shop, post office, library or other facility – including allotments. For more information see www.pubisthehub.org.uk

“

Some of the regulars come in every day when they’re working on their plot 42

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says Matt. “As it’s developed over a few years, there are chickens pecking around, and there are a few sheds, polytunnels and such. For the regular users, it’s very much their hobby.”

He estimates around 70 per cent of allotment users are also regulars at the pub.

“Some of them come in every day when they’re working on their plot, or come in to give their vegetables to the pub.

“One of them even has a stall outside, selling their produce.”

For any pub with a patch of spare land thinking they see an easy route to reducing their ever-spiralling fruit and veg bills, Matt cautions: “A few allotments aren’t really going to make a dent in what you need for a busy Sunday roast menu, for example. We use what we get on our menu where we can, but it’s not huge quantities compared to what we need.”

The benefits, he believes, are far more

WINTER 2021

about maintaining the pub’s presence in the community, as well as promoting the fresh air and exercise that working on an allotment delivers. “We’re a community-led pub, and anything we can do to promote that, we will. The allotments are a big part of that; we always donate the Christmas tree to the village, and we’ve made a donation to the Christmas lights committee this year.

“There are a few villages around here which have lost their pub, so the area tends to centre on The Queen’s, which is good for us at least. It’s great to have the allotments as part of the pub. My six-year-old daughter loves feeding worms to the chickens when we’re out for a walk. It’s a lovely extra element on what would otherwise be empty land.”

The Queen’s Arms’ sister pub, the Three Tuns, is in a location that attracts plenty of walkers, and offers five letting rooms with B&B, so also plays its part in promoting healthy outdoor exercise.

trade.inapub.co.uk 02/12/2021 01:04

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10/05/2021 11:15

stay 11 Rooms with a local view SPONSORED BY STAY IN A PUB

by ANDREW IVES

Glen’s commitment to the local

‘Beware of propaganda, and you can put that in the article...’ So says Glen Duckett, licensee of multiaward winning pub The Eagle and Child, when I ask what he thinks about big businesses promoting their green credentials around the United Nations climate conference in Glasgow. ‘Don’t let PR stunts distract you from thinking local. Let’s get back to local. Local suppliers, and local community.’

economy is as big as his deckchair

This principle sits at the heart of the Eagle and Child’s social enterprise business model, which aims to provide guests who stay at the pub with a truly local experience by using fresh produce from the Lancashire region. Glen says: “The Eagle and Child was a regeneration project to take a boarded-up pub that had some land with it, so we could have a kitchen allotment garden which is landscaped as a beer garden, growing our own food for the kitchen.”

Guests staying in the Ramsbottom pub’s five boutique bedrooms, which offer stunning views of the Lancashire moors, can enjoy the garden as a beautiful outdoor space with ornamental beds, mini-orchard, and play area to keep kids amused. It’s also the source of produce as local as it gets, including fresh eggs for breakfast.

Duckett estimates between five and 10 per cent of the pub’s produce comes from the kitchen garden, which is also used to compost all food waste. What they can’t grow,

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stay.

The Eagle and Child Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester Rooms: 5 boutique bedrooms Rates: £85 to £130 per night (depending on room size, with an added option for guests to pay towards supporting the Lancashire Wildlife Trust) Added extras: An edible garden, allotments and hens The Eagle & Child’s five boutique bedrooms offer stunning views of the Lancashire moors and the pub’s kitchen garden

Glen’s top tips

for practical sustainability Invest in LED lighting thermostats, and efficient heating systems to reduce the expense of heating and lighting guest accommodation, rather than switching to expensive renewable tariffs.

Buy local produce to minimise food miles and provide guests with authentic regional food.

Consider getting some chickens if you have room.

They are easy to keep, reduce food miles, and guests love fresh eggs for breakfast.

Contact the Groundwork Trust if you have space to grow veg but don’t know how to get started. They may be able to help you start a community garden groundwork.org.uk

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the team try to source locally. “Probably about 75 per cent of our product range is produced within the North West,” says Glen.

Having guest rooms comes with an obvious increase in the amount of energy the pub uses for lighting and heating. Glen looks to efficiencies to reduce both cost and environmental impact, saying: “Instead of hunting for a tariff that ties you into renewables you’ll be paying a fortune for, invest the money in LED lighting, the right thermostat and efficient heating systems. That way you will end up making savings, and make a bigger impact on how much energy you are using.”

Smart shopping

Glen believes any pub has the opportunity to improve purchasing ethics and provide guests with sustainable, local produce.

“Look at the choices you make about where you get things from,” he says.

“To be honest I do use some of the big cash-and-carries for certain things, because you have to, but for specific items. I don’t go in there for things like corned beef, which I know will have come from Brazil and caused deforestation. So getting your meat from your local butcher when you know it’s coming from a farm 10 miles away, you know you are minimising your food miles, you’re getting quality stuff, and you are investing back into your local economy. Essentially

that’s what it’s all about.”

Part of that investment is expressed by helping young people into work, particularly those who may be disadvantaged in the job market, which Glen describes as the pub’s main mission. “Maybe they have a learning disability or an offending background. We give them training and employment opportunities. From a young person’s perspective, if you can get experience with us, particularly with the credibility that comes with it, then it’s given them a stepping stone into further employment.”

Glen firmly believes small changes made by small businesses can have a big impact on climate outcomes, and that these changes not only help the planet, but also make financial sense. I ask if he believes a pub’s sustainability is becoming more of a factor when guests decide where to stay.

“I certainly think people are more conscious of the ethics of the businesses they choose, people are more interested in smaller businesses that are doing something interesting. If you source from your local economy, that will help you to be more environmentally and ethically responsible, because buying locally reduces food miles, and the money is going back into normally smaller, local suppliers. It’s helping the whole chain, both on an economic and an environmental scale.”

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back-bar business

Blazing the trail to

by RICHARD MOLLOY

Net Zero

(Right) staff members Jessica Piotrowicz, Karenza Grose, Jack Davies and Lucy Smith with The Victoria Inn’s solar panels

(Below) Piers Thompson works with St Austell’s pubs to help them reduce their energy use and wastage

St Austell Brewery’s external relations director Piers Thompson is clearly passionate about environmental issues and is keen for St Austell to sharpen the ethical focus of its business.

As a new member of the Zero Carbon Forum – a growing collective of 25 companies aiming to design a net zero roadmap for the hospitality industry – the brewery has already committed to several sustainability initiatives, which include: • Switching its electricity to 100 per cent REGO-certified energy at the end of 2019 • Making all new cars in its fleet hybrid or fully electric • Investing in solar panels over the last decade, which now produces enough renewable electricity to power over 100 houses a year.

• Investing in power-saving devices.

Piers also works with the publicans within St Austell’s managed estate to reduce their energy consumption and waste.

Mark Holden and his business partner

Justin Barnett run St Austell tenancy The Victoria Inn at Threemilestone, near Truro in Cornwall. They’ve looked at their operation from roof to cellar and, with the help of their landlords, made changes across the business.

The most visible is the impressive 44-panel solar energy installation, which will undoubtedly become a common feature of many businesses in the near future. But they didn’t stop there. Just about every aspect of consumption has been assessed and evaluated.

Mark explains that the benefits are not just environmental.“We’ve seen a major reduction in costs after upgrading around 90 per cent of our kitchen equipment,” Mark says. “By investing in things like combi-ovens and fryers with filtration systems so oil can be reused, we save on day-to-day costs. Investment now will save money in the long run.”

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“

By investing in things like combi-ovens and fryers with filtration systems so oil can be re-used, we save on day-to-day costs.

Investment now will save money in the long run

HOW TO CUT YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT Tips from Mark Holden at The Victoria Inn LOOK AT YOUR LINE CLEANING ROUTINE. We’ve recently installed the Carlsberg Quality Dispense System. It’s much more efficient energy-wise and saves water by reducing the amount of line cleans required.

There are other similar systems out there.

INSTALL MORE ENERGY-EFFICIENT KITCHEN APPLIANCES We invested heavily in all areas of the kitchen, but any amount of investment in more efficient gear is worth it.

We’ve also opted for long warranties on new equipment to guarantee their longevity.

PUT IN LED LIGHTING We’ve upgraded to LEDs throughout the pub. It’s a big saving.

MONITOR YOUR USAGE We monitor our electrical usage via Solar Edge. It’s a really simple way of working out what energy is being wasted KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR SUPPLIERS Make sure you’re confident they’re helping you reduce your impact on the Earth. Our beer gas is generated from a renewable source via Bio Carbonics and our electric is on a REGO contract from EDF. Shop around for renewable energy suppliers and make sure you get the best deal. Also ask questions of all suppliers as to what they’re doing to reduce their own carbon emissions. As customers we can force their hand to become more environmentally friendly by opting for companies with a greener ethos.

WORK WITH YOUR LANDLORDS. We’re all in this together and have a shared responsibility to this planet. If you’re a tenant, ask what your landlords are doing to reduce energy consumption. Solar panels, double glazing, insulation; all of these discussions can be had and any investment on their part could cut your energy costs.

He also believes customers are becoming much more environmentally aware and that hospitality venues that promote their sustainable and ethical credentials will reap the rewards of increased custom. The Victoria Inn and St Austell are an example of what can be achieved when breweries, publicans

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and operators work together with the same objective. It’s this kind of collaboration that will pay dividends for all in the battle against climate change. They’re also a shining example of how positivity and action is the way forward in the fight for a brighter and cleaner future.

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Most weekend mornings in the late ‘80s, my old man would call me into the cellar of my parents’ first boozer and hold up a 50 pence piece: shiny and – like Wagon Wheels, offshore bank accounts of Tory donors and the chances of young people getting on the housing ladder – much bigger than today. Wide-eyed with a mixture of greed and despair, I watched him casually flick it and saw my morning wage slide its way to the dregs of the previous evening’s unused fare at the bottom of a bulging bottle bin, which had to be emptied before I could claim my bounty.

The reason for this example of Victorianesque child labour was simple: recycling.

Publicans (or their exploited offspring) would sort out their empties of Holsten Pils, Mackeson, bitter lemon et al and send them back with the dray. It was simple, efficient and, yes, very environmentally friendly. The same wagons that dropped your beer off would take back your empty bottles and refund the deposit – no need for a Biffa truck to wake up the neighbours with a 6am apocalyptic alarm call of broken bottles being dumped into a metal lorry and taken to be melted down and made into... er, bottles?

This change happened in the early ‘90s at about the same time that the adolescent me was being taught about CFCs, aerosols and global warming, and recycling was beginning to be a conscious choice. So, while we were being encouraged, as individuals, to wash out our baked bean cans and sauce bottles (when they were glass and the right way up), the drinks industry took the opposite route and chose (are you sitting comfortably? This may be a shock) streamlining, profit and image over an industry-wide sustainable and environmentally sound practice.

Alongside people being made to buy food wrapped in plastic from a shop three miles away – including the milk previously delivered to us in returnable bottles by someone driving an electric vehicle – hospitality also became much more disposable and we

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With change comes opportunity.

The transition from coerced Earthmurderers to conscientious cohabitors need not be a painful one

Richard Molloy is director of four-strong pubco White Rose Taverns and the microbrewery Platform Five

CarlsPix / Shutterstock.com

RICHARD MOLLOY

publicans are now having to try to atone for these irrevocable decisions as we wrestle with the guilt of our carbon footprints.

But atone we must, as much for our trade as for our peace of mind. The public shares the weight of poor governance with us and they’ve stopped leaving their consciences at home when they head out for the night.

As ever though, with change comes opportunity. The transition from coerced Earthmurderers to conscientious cohabitors need not be a painful one. There is no reason this shift shouldn’t be advantageous to independent businesses that take a locally minded approach. As hubs of the community, we have the chance to benefit from this wave of mindfulness whilst highlighting the virtues of sustainability and reducing our outgoings.

Investment now in the new age of trade will reap benefits in the future, which in turn will, hopefully, force the hand of those that led us down this path of disposable business.

So don’t be too hard on yourself when considering your impact on this Earth. Much of the damage was caused by the wrong decisions being made at the wrong times, and it is those who recklessly dismissed the warnings and led us all on this collision course who should shoulder the guilt.

For me, personally, I wish for a return from the metaphorical feeling of having blood on my hands to the feeling of having actual blood on my hands from fishing out that 50p from the bottom of that bottle bin.

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PLATE OR SLATE? Where we ask the world’s biggest names the really big questions The Earth

Large green and blue planet sandwiched between Mars and Venus.

Chief executive of the weather and controller of spin.

Seeing as we are dedicating this issue of Inapub to sustainability, it seemed only right that we go straight to the top for this edition of Plate of Slate and ask good old planet Earth what it thinks about the big issues of the day. Our planet has been pretty busy lately, mainly shouting at the telly during the coverage of Cop26 and trying to scratch all that plastic waste out of its Mariana Trench, but it managed to find a few minutes between natural disasters to answer our questions.

Plate or slate?

I produce a bit of slate myself, so of course it’s got to be natural slate. I’ve never understood why humans have a constant need to over-manufacture things like plates and then ship them miles across the world – in my experience moving plates almost always ends in disaster.

Roaring fire or pub garden?

Log burners can get in the bin, as can coal and gas fires. Do people think I’m made of fossil fuel? A nice pub garden will do me fine. Plenty of greenery, birds and bees. But no outside heaters, thank you very much!

Greta or Boris?

Ah, Greta of course. She understands how important my health really is. Cop26?

Cop-out26 more like! And thanks to Boris, Lord knows what all that raw sewage is doing to my rivers, I can’t even look.

Rising sun or full moon?

Both do a decent pint, but I’d have to go with the full moon. Absolutely crucial to my monthly tide table – my oceans just wouldn’t be the same without it. I’d prefer it to remain billionaire-space-rocket-free though, if you could pass that on to Bezos and Branson.

Wind or waves?

I’m assuming this is a renewable energy question, not a reference to my methane problem. Tricky one as they’re both prefer-

able to the alternative power stations, but wave power is actually slightly more efficient. And my waves roll 24/7.

Cocktails or cask ale?

I’d have to say cask ale. Brewers do use a lot of energy and water, but cask beer doesn’t have the additives and preservatives of other drinks and you can generally find a good local cask in most pubs these days.

Having said that I am partial to the occasional Dark & Stormy.

UK pub or American diner?

I’ve seen the portion sizes in American diners – they’d probably be about right for a planet, but a human? Pubs, it has got to be.

More local food and drink on offer so less food miles and a much better atmosphere – if I do say so myself.

Jupiter or Uranus?

I wouldn’t want to mess with Jupiter. Have you seen the size of it? Mind you I wouldn’t really want to mess with Uranus either. It’s absolutely freezing, with constant gale force winds – a bit like most of Europe will be if my North Atlantic current keeps playing up.

Full English or fruit platter?

I still consume meat – great for fertilising my soil – but the methane is killing me so I’d have to go for the fruit platter. Seasonal and organic though please, and watch those food miles!

Masterchef or British Bake-Off? Bake-Off for me. I am partial to a nice crust.

Recycling or cutting food waste?

Food waste first, always. Recycling is great but it still means more transportation and energy use. Cutting food waste stops the problem at its source. Less is more.

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TOP

10

SUSTAINABLE PUBS

Hostelries where being kind to the Earth is part of the plan 1. The Duke of Cambridge 2

3

Pic: Eugene Birchall/geograph.org

5

Islington, London Britain’s first organic pub was certified by the Soil Association in 1998. It teamed up with Devon organic farm and veg box supplier Riverford in 2014, the same year pub owner Geetie Singh married Riverford Boss Guy Watson. Geetie’s services to the organic pub trade were recognised with an MBE in 2009.

Read more about Geetie on p27-28.

2. The Royal Oak

Bishopstone, Swindon, Wiltshire When we visited The Royal Oak a few years ago, we found it was only 95 per cent organic. Co-owner Helen Browning explained: “We have a huge amount of customers who will bring stuff in from their gardens, and they’re not going to have their gardens certified.” Helen should know about organic certification – she’s also the chief executive of the Soil Association.

3. The Wheatsheaf

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Chilton Foliat, Wiltshire Wiltshire is also home to The Wheatsheaf, which works hard to establish its environmental credentials across the business. These include a commitment to using sustainable produce and nose-to-tail eating, plus a selfsustainable heating and compost unit that they plan to use to heat a greenhouse and grow organic produce all year round. Read more on p32-33.

4. Fyne Ales Brewery Tap

Pic: Stefan Czapiski/geograph.org

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Carindow, Argyll and Bute Power is provided by solar panels on the roof, while an environmentally friendly effluent processing plant renders all liquid byproducts of the brewing process ecologically neutral before they’re released.

5. Battlesteads

Wark, Northumberland Sustainability is woven into everything the team do at Battlesteads. There’s a carbonneutral heating and hot water system, and polytunnels in the garden to provide fresh

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fruit and veg all year round. Empty toilet roll inners are used for potting seedlings and food waste is fed into the wormeries to transform it into compost. All this has helped land Battlesteads a Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

6. The Acorn Inn

Evershot, Dorset This bolthole in Thomas Hardy country is committed to reducing food miles through working with local suppliers. It aims to phase out single-use plastics by 2022 and works with analytics provider Winnow to reduce food waste, as well as sustaining its own herb garden and using Leitha CleanCoat, a sustainable self-disinfection product.

7. The Eagle & Child

Ramsbottom, Lancashire Social enterprise The Eagle & Child cites its main reason for existing as helping young people to access training in hospitality. But it’s also famed for its edible beer garden, which has transformed an area reclaimed from fly-tippers 10 years ago. For more on the Eagle & Child, see p44-45.

8. The Queen’s Arms

Breage, Cornwall This pub takes an innovative, or looked at another way a truly traditional approach to local sourcing, extracting 10 per cent of whatever locals grow on its allotments. It helps out the kitchen, but the real benefit is the community vibe. For more on The Queens, see p41-42.

9. The Drapers Arms

Bristol The Drapers sources 95 per cent of its beers from local brewpubs, with its organic wines shipped from Portugal by sail power. More than 90 per cent of waste is recycled.

10. The Sweffling White Horse

Sweffling, Suffolk A focus on renewable energy, recycling and local suppliers has earned this pub several environmental awards.

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