The Dove and Rainbow is a modern, glass-fronted music bar located in Sheffield City Centre. Hosting live rock, metal, punk bands, as well as DJs, this wet-led venue is a local favourite for those who love their music and real ales.

With The Dove and Rainbow being a wet city centre pub without outside space, licensee Dawn Gunther has had to be innovative when it comes to introducing sustainable operations to the venue, as reducing food waste, and increasing kitchen efficiency are not possible due to their wet-led stock.

Dawn says that the main thing she has done to improve sustainability at her pub is engage with her pub company, Punch, on any sustainability issues. With Dawn on a five-year tenancy with Punch and the company not owning the building where the venue is situated, collaboration between the two parties has helped bring about success.

At the Dove and Rainbow, all cellar equipment and fridges are on timers and there are notes on every door to turn off lights when a room is not in use. The pub also has a new, more energy efficient boiler and cellar cooler, while Dawn hassaid that she is will be a ‘Guinea Pig’ for any new cellar technology that may become available in the future. 

Dawn can be credited as the driving force behind the sustainable change at the pub, with all staff now fully engaged in the energy reduction and recycling actions. All of the team also generally use public transport or walk to work, meaning that the pub’s passive carbon footprint is reduced further with this.

Punch’s ‘Pub Heroes’ initiative actively invite members, such as Dawn, to have their input and feedback from a small group of operators on all issues of sustainability. Dawn has been labelled one of the ‘go to’ publicans for sustainable operating. 

We are delighted to recognise The Dove and Rainbow with Sustainability Champion status.

You can view The Dove and Rainbow’s website here.