OUR CHAMPIONS

The Sustainability Champion Award has been created by the BII, and is awarded to those in the industry who have gone above and beyond to demonstrate their commitment to running a sustainable business.

Click on any of the links below to read about the incredible work our champions are doing to build an eco-friendly future that's better for pubs, people and the planet.

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The Newbury

The Newbury - Newbury

The Newbury is a modern pub located in the heart of Newbury, Berkshire. Originally a Coaching Inn built in the 17th century, the pub has been through many changes over the years, but it has always been a popular meeting place for locals and visitors alike.

Jamie Allen is the licensee of The Newbury and has implemented several sustainability-driven changes to move the pub on a path towards a greener future.

A key change that has brought about success for Jamie and his team is introducing timers on lighting and equipment. By doing this, it has ensured that no equipment is on for any longer than necessary, saving huge amounts of energy in the process.

Furthermore, waste reduction measures implemented by Jamie include composting his food and changing his menus to reduce waste. With this, customers are asked to clarify whether they would like to remove items such as side salads from the dishes they have ordered, should they know that they’re not going to eat it.

Jamie is also keen to ensure that his menu comprises of sustainable and locally produced ingredients. As a result of this, The Newbury has heavily reduced food and drinks miles, ultimately lowering its carbon footprint.

When quizzed on what he is most proud of on the sustainability front, Jamie responds by sharing the details of a sustainability meeting that is held at the pub monthly and attended by ‘People Planet Pint’ – a sustainability-focused group that looks at plans to reduce carbon emissions and drive sustainability in the local pubs.

We are delighted to recognise the excellent work that Jamie and his team are doing by awarding them with Sustainability Champion status.

You can view The Newbury website here.

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The King Charles Tavern

The King Charles Tavern - Newbury

The King Charles Tavern is located in Newbury on Cheap Street. Previously CAMRA’s pub of the year, it offers a warm, rustic, and comfortable interior with a delightful seasonal British menu.

As a Greene King tenanted site, The King Charles Tavern has seen a number of changes implemented that are in line with many of our other recently awarded BII Sustainability Champions.

Licensee, Joshua Khan, has been active on the energy reduction front by installing LED light bulbs in place of the previously used incandescent bulbs, ultimately improving The King Charles Tavern’s efficiency via lighting. Smart thermostats have also been installed which helps Joshua to be more aware of what is being expended on the energy front and adjust his behaviours accordingly.

With regards to waste reduction, Joshua has also successfully undergone huge change to cut out his usage of single-use plastics in line with the new regulations introduced in 2023, ultimately reducing the pub’s carbon footprint significantly. The installation of the new beertech line cleaning system has further helped reduce wastage at The King Charles Tavern, while reducing costs and increasing cleanliness in the process.

An emphasis on a reduced carbon footprint is a common theme throughout Joshua’s operational decisions, with locally produced ingredients and drinks forming the core of his menu. This means that food and drinks miles are further reduced which helps both from an environmental and costs point of view.

Finally, it is very important to Joshua that he promotes sustainable transportation. Staff and customers are heavily encouraged to use public transportation or walk to the pub, with both groups being provided with incentives such as discounts or rewards should they do so.

We are extremely pleased to award Joshua and his team at The King Charles Tavern with Sustainability Champion status.

You can view The King Charles Tavern Facebook page here.

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The Beehive Swindon

The Beehive - Swindon

Just a stone’s throw away from Queen Park in Swindon, The Beehive is a perfect place for meeting friends, enjoying a family meal, listening to music, or just stopping in for a pint on your way home from watching the newest blockbuster in the cinema next door.

Andy Mercer heads up operations at The Beehive and has introduced a number of sustainability-driven changes to the pub.

To begin with, an emphasis on energy reduction measures has seen Andy swap LED lightbulbs for the previously used and less efficient incandescent bulbs. Andy has also installed smart thermostats, meters and timers across the pub which has helped to reduce overall carbon and electricity consumption.

One of the meters that Andy has introduced is a Beertech smart meter which helps maintain the correct cellar storage temperature and saves roughly 6000kws in energy for the business. This change helps to increase efficiency and reduce wastage with line cleaning, while ensuring that everything is clean and compliant in the process.

Furthermore, when it comes to the drink offering at The Beehive, everything is sourced and sold from local suppliers, exemplifying the emphasis that Andy has placed on reducing the drinks mileage of his products and supporting the local communities.

All staff at The Beehive are based locally and are environmentally aware with their best practice both while they are working at the pub and in their daily lives, further supporting the green agenda.

We are delighted to recognise Andy and all the team at The Beehive with a Sustainability Champion status, and we look forward to seeing their hard work continue in the future.

You can view The Beehive website here.

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The New Bowling Green

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.

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The Dove and Rainbow

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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The Dog and Partridge

The Dog and Partridge - Stockport

Situated in Stockport, South Manchester, The Dog and Partridge offers a warm welcome to all, serving food daily with a wide range of ales and lagers.

The Licensee, Karen, who is popular with the locals, has implemented several changes to operations which have set the pub on the path towards a sustainable future.

Waste reduction has been the key factor in sustainable success for Karen, with many of her changes coming on this front. A number of recycling programmes are now commonplace at the pub, with all recyclable waste separated into glass, general recycling, and food waste bins. Bins are clearly labelled in different areas to ensure that staff put the correct waste in the correct bin.

Karen has also placed an emphasis on refilling chemicals and liquids from larger bottles, rather than buying small, singly-use bottles. This ensures there is less waste, and the same container can be used over again.

Sustainable procurement is another key area of Karen’s sustainable operations at The Dog and Partridge. Ingredients for both the food and drink offering at the pub are sourced from sustainable and local suppliers, while some is also grown in the garden of the venue. Additionally, although the garden area at the pub is large and well kept, Karen has elected to leave certain areas for wildlife and birds, aiming to attract as many different species and insects as possible.

We are delighted to recognise Karen and the team at The Dog and Partridge with Sustainability Champion status.

You can view The Dog and Partridge’s website here.

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The Farm Tavern

The Farm Tavern - Brighton

The Farm Tavern is a friendly neighbourhood pub located in Brighton, serving lashings of traditional pub hospitality, local charm, and gastronomically good comfort food.

Rodin Chauchard-Stuart, licensee at The Farm Tavern, has been the driving force when it comes to implementing sustainable change.

Focusing on energy reduction mesasures, Rodin began by replacing the older incandescent bulbs with LED lightbulbs, ultimately improving The Farm Tavern’s lighting efficiency by up to 85%. In addition to this, timers and sensors have been placed on the lights and equipment to ensure they aren’t on for too long a period of time, especially if no one is in the vicinity. Energy Monitoring Technology and smart thermostats have also helped Rodin be more aware of what the pub is expending and helped him make more informed decisions when it comes to sustainability.

Waste reduction has been another key area of focus for Rodin, with recycling programmes having been implemented to the operational process at the pub. Menus have also been changed to reduce waste, with portion sizes reduced and items such as side salads being optional for customers. Plant-based menu items are also now featured more frequently on the menu at The Farm Tavern, reducing the carbon footprint of the premises.

Furthermore, the installation of low-flow toilets, sensor taps and the use of water-efficient cleaning methods on the dishwasher and glass cleaner have helped The Farm Tavern reduce the volume of water waste produced daily.

When it comes to the staff, Rodin has established a small local team who share his values on sustainability. They are constantly committed to moving the pub towards a greener, more sustainable future and their shared values mean that they all help each other with their decision making.

We are delighted to recognise Rodin and the team at The Farm Tavern with Sustainability Champion status and look forward to seeing their outstanding work continue in the future.

You can view The Farm Tavern’s website here.

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The Swan at Compton

In Compton, the delightful village pub, The Swan, sits just a few minutes’ walk from the Ridgeway, one of fifteen long-distance National Trails in England and Wales. They offer a wide range of draught beers and Real Ales, along with a family friendly garden and menu, including made to order pizzas. There are also 6 cozy bedrooms available at this country favourite.

Ken Shaw, licensee at The Swan, has been the driving force behind sustainable change at the pub.

Ken began by replacing the old, incandescent lightbulbs with new modern LED’s. This has helped improve efficiency by up to 85%. Investment in smart thermostats, modern energy-efficient kitchen appliances and monitoring technology have also added to the energy reduction measures. With Ken and the team now acutely aware of what is being expended, it allows them to make more informed decisions and adjust behaviours accordingly.

Water usage reduction has also played a key part in Ken and The Swan’s sustainability journey. Low-flow toilets, sensor taps and the use of water-efficient cleaning methods on the dishwasher and glass cleaner have all helped the whole team to reduce their expenditure on this front.

Additionally, sustainable procurement is of paramount importance to Ken. He aims to reduce his food and drinks miles through sourcing sustainable and locally produced ingredients for use in dishes alongside drinks. This not only aids his local community but saves on fuel and energy consumption.

When it comes to the team and his customers, Ken is keen to offer incentives including discounts or rewards by promoting sustainable transportation. Both groups are encouraged to use public transportation, bike, or walk to the pub, which in turn helps to spread the message both in and out of the venue. Water re-fill stations are also common throughout The Swan, with customers and staff offered free drinks for home-brought bottles.

We are delighted to recognise Ken and the team at The Swan at Compton with BII Sustainability Champion status and look forward to seeing their incredible work continue.

You can view their website here.

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The Stag

The Stag - Lyndhurst

The Stag at Lyndhurst is a traditional pub retreat nestled in the New Forest National Park. A place for customers to eat, drink, and stay in comfort, this local favourite joins The Mailmans as another venue operated by Steve Harris’ to be recognised as a BII Sustainability Champion.

Having invested in new, more efficient commercial catering equipment for the kitchen The Stag , replaces it’s older, previously used equipment that made it more difficult to operate in a sustainable way.

Furthermore, with the pub having an accommodation offering of 10 letting rooms, Steve has made changes to ensure that the consumables being used are sustainable, avoiding single-use plastics and moving towards refillable dispensers.

Timers are now common across all lights and other equipment in The Stag, which Steve claims have massively helped reduce energy usage throughout the venue. Water saving devices have also been introduced to the cellar, which further ensures that nothing is needlessly.

When asked about on how he ensures his team are aligned with his vision, Steve credits their motivation and stability as key factors in helping the pub on its sustainability journey:

“We have a very motivated and stable team at the Stag. We operate as a family and every member of the team is aware of the importance of energy conservation and sustainability. The subject is discussed at [the] initial interview stage for all new staff and ongoing discussion are carried out during team meetings. We actively coach our staff on a day-to-day basis.”

It is clear to see that Steve sees all the individuals associated with the pub as key to The Stag’s sustainability journey, with him keen to stress the responsibility he sees as a hub of the local community:

“We consider our staff and customers as our family so feel extremely responsible for our local community. We have a duty to our local community to set the right example for sustainability and hope our local community recognise this and adopt some of the measures we are taking in their homes and local businesses”.

We are delighted to award Steve and the whole team at The Stag with BII Sustainability Champion status.

You can view The Stag’s website here.