Blue Planet inspires Sunderland pub chain to ditch plastic straws

A North East pub group is serving up greener drinks, after ditching plastic straws in favour of an eco-friendly alternative.
The Engine Room at the Fire StationThe Engine Room at the Fire Station
The Engine Room at the Fire Station

Pub Culture, the company behind The Engine Room and The Peacock and both Sunderland and Jesmond Dun Cow pubs, has called time on plastic straws in a bid to go green.

The chain, which buys more than 20,000 straws every month, has introduced paper straws across its venues, after learning more about the harmful impact plastic straws can have on the environment.

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The move has been backed by the Green Party’s deputy leader Amelia Womack, who was impressed to learn that the venue has scrapped the plastic during an impromptu visit to The Engine Room in High Street West, last month.

The directors of Pub Culture abandoned the pub chain’s use of plastic straws after being shocked by a hard-hitting TV programme and they say that their customers have been hugely supportive of the move away from plastic straws.

Operations director, Joe Smith, explained: “We all know that some types of plastic are very harmful to the environment, but often small things like straws seem inconsequential.

“The reality is that they add up, and the impact on the environment can be significant.

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“Programmes like the BBC’s Blue Planet – which showed the horrendous impact that plastic can have on sea and wildlife – really does show that decisions we make here can have unseen repercussions elsewhere and we thought ‘let’s do something – no matter how small – to improve things’.”

Though paper straws are around four times more expensive to buy, the company has committed to staying with an eco-friendly alternative and says that the feedback from customers has been hugely positive.

“People really like the fact we are taking responsibility for our environmental footprint, and though it’s a small thing, it will add up quickly to make a big difference,” added Joe.

To find out more about Pub Culture and its venues visit www.pubculture.com