The Queen Inn

The Queen Inn - Winchester

The Queen Inn is a relaxed, cosy pub located in Winchester, Hampshire. Licensees, Jenny Small and Iain Warren, have implemented several eco-friendly initiatives to turn their pub into a sustainability hub within the local community. Alongside their sister pub, The Willow Tree, we recognise the hard work Jenny and Iain have put into their sustainability journey.

A switch from incandescent bulbs to LED lighting has dramatically improved the efficiency of energy expended through lighting at The Queen Inn. Smart thermostats and timers on other pieces of equipment also ensure that Jenny and Iain are in control on when their pub’s appliances are turned on and off.

Sustainable procurement is of paramount importance to The Queen Inn, which has been labelled as one of Winchester’s ‘hidden gems’. The pub prides itself on turning local produce into quality, home-cooked dishes, with plenty of their ingredients sourced from locations nearby to the pub. Jenny and Iain also source sustainable and locally produced drinks, ensuring that the overall mileage of the pub’s menu is minimised as much as possible.

When it comes to waste reduction, customers are quizzed on whether they would like to keep items such as side salads if they know that they are not going to eat them. Recycling programmes and water-efficient cleaning methods are also a core part of the processes at the pub, showcasing the importance of reducing waste where possible.

Jenny and Iain regularly train staff on sustainability initiatives, and encourage it to be discussed as a key part of the agenda at any staff meeting. With both of them keen to stress the importance of operating sustainably, they add:

“It is vital to lead sustainability in the local community as we all have an obligation to make the world a better place, not only for now but for the future and our children's future. Our local community are the future of our business.”

We are extremely pleased to add Jenny and Iain at The Queen Inn to our Sustainability Champions cohort and look forward to seeing them flourish further in the future.

You can view The Queen Inn website here.

The New Bowling Green - Warwick

The New Bowling Green is a historic, Grade II listed, 15th century family run pub in Warwick with a great beer garden and renowned for its tasty homemade food.

Adam Dudley and Jess Hobbs head up operations at The New Bowling Green, with the pair being the two key players in moving the pub towards a more sustainable future.

A key change made by Adam and Jess has been cutting out the single-use plastics in line with the new laws that came into place in 2023. This previously provided a huge amount of the pub’s waste, and the change in operations has seen a massive reduction.

Furthermore, energy saving and smart monitoring technology has been implemented all across the pub, with LED light bulbs replacing the incandescent and smart thermostats making everyone aware of what is being expended on a day-to-day basis.

Sustainable procurement has also brought success for The New Bowling Green. Some of the fruit, vegetables and herbs used on the menu at the pub are sourced from the Head Chef’s allotment, along with some from the pub’s own garden. The garden is designed in a way that promotes sustainable growing and attracts wildlife, with The New Bowling Green officially recognised as Warwick’s first ‘Bee Friendly Pub’.

Waste reduction is another element of the sustainability journey that has been instrumental in moving the pub towards a greener future. With various recycling programmes in place, food waste has also been heavily reduced. All vegetable peelings and anything possible is used for stocks and sauces, while anything that can’t be used is composted.

When quizzed on the importance of a sustainable future in the local community, Jess is keen to stress what it means to her;

“It’s hugely important - a pub is the heart of the community and leading on sustainability in the local community is essential for creating a healthier, more prosperous, and more beautiful future for everyone. Every individual and community have a role to play in driving positive change towards sustainability, no one more than the local pub."

We extremely pleased to add The New Bowling Green to our ever-growing list of Sustainability Champions. Congratulations to Adam, Jess and the whole team.

You can view The New Bowling Green’s website here.

The Dove and Rainbow - Sheffield

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.

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