By After the news that Wetherspoons has stopped giving customers paper receipts unless they ask for one, an independent Cleethorpes business has ramped up its green credentials with several eco- friendly initiatives.
Specialist bottle shop and weekend bar, message in a bottle, has always used text or email receipts since it opened in 2015 and owner, Charles Lumley, explains some of the other ways the business has reduced its carbon footprint and improved sustainability.
“I am really pleased to see big companies like Wetherspoons try to do away with unnecessary paper receipts. As they said themselves, it creates mess in their bars and is a waste of paper with most receipts not being recyclable. Ever since we opened, we opted for electronic receipts. If our customers want a receipt, they get an instant text message or email. Most people seem to prefer this rather than stuffing another bit of paper in their wallet or purse. This week we’ve also replaced plastic bags with 100% biodegradable carrier bags in the shop and we’ve also stopped providing plastic straws on the bar. We consulted with our customers and the response was overwhelmingly positive.”
Located on Cambridge Street, message in a bottle, is the area’s largest stockist of local beers and spirits which helps keep their carbon footprint in check. By purchasing directly from local suppliers such as Docks Beer, Bottomley Distillers and Pipers Crisps, the negative effects of transporting goods over long distances is reduced.
“We are all about championing local produce and we’ve done it ever since we opened. Buying local has so many benefits. We are doing our bit for the area by shouting from the rooftops about all these great things being produced in Lincolnshire, plus we are reducing our carbon footprint compared to bringing in goods from further afield. We are still the only place round here offering a proper selection of world beers, but these come to us almost exclusively from Small Beer Ltd in Lincoln who take back and reuse many of our Belgian beer bottles. We also recycle all our glass, cardboard and cans through local companies. Once you get thinking about what measures you can put in place the possibilities are endless. There’s the obvious ones like turning electrical appliances off when not in use and offering left over cardboard boxes to customers, but we’ve even managed to source some carbon negative canned beers which are already proving really popular.”
Mr Lumley is keen to work with other local businesses to share ideas.
“I know a lot of other great business such as Riverhead Coffee and Ebb & Flo doing some fantastic things and we are keen to help others and see how else we can improve. This area is already at the forefront of the renewable energy sector and we want to do our bit, as a small business, to drive sustainability and reduce waste.”
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