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.

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.

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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