Sustainability

On this page we've highlighted all of the positive steps we've taken to provide a sustainable hotel.

Newquay Hotels is a family business and maintains a strong commitment to the environment and to the local economic and social community. As a company, we recognise that our operation has an impact on the environment and are committed to improving our performance through a number of policies and practices in order to ensure environmental, economic and societal sustainability.

In return for our commitment we ask you, our visitors, to also do your bit for the environment by following these five steps to being a sustainable visitor.

1. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

You can help us by refusing packaging and bags you don't need, and using the recycling banks you'll find in most supermarket and district council car parks across Cornwall. We also provide recycling facilities within the hotels - please ask staff for more details.

2. Get out of the car!

Walking, cycling and riding are great ways to see the beaches around Newquay without adding to the traffic. Newquay also has a number of public transport links, please ask at Reception for train and bus timetables - there is even a bus stop directly outside The Esplanade Hotel.

3. Stay Local, Eat Local, Buy Local, See Local

Support local producers and services - and you'll see what Cornwall can offer, and benefit local communities. Visit farmers markets, farm shops, village stores, pubs and cafes. Our distinctive culture shines through the hundreds of community events that happen throughout the year - and the food and drink is simply fantastic.

Local farm shops include:
Bre-Pen Farm Shop, Mawgan Porth. Tel: 01637 860420
Padstow Farm Shop, Trethillick Farm, Padstow Tel: 01841 533060
Carruan Farm Centre, St Minver, Wadebridge. Tel: 01208 869584
Great Gargus Farm, Tregony, Truro Tel: 01872 530274

4. Turn off

Many of the hotel rooms are now fitted with Keycard Electricity Activation sockets in the bedrooms. In rooms where these have not yet been fitted, please help us to reduce energy use and CO2 emissions by switching off lights when you don't need them.

Help us reduce water consumption by using just the water you need; take a shower instead of a bath and keep your towels for more than a day (please follow in-room instructions).

5. Follow the Countryside Code

It reminds us all to protect, respect and enjoy: look after plants and animals; take litter away; leave gates and property as you find them; keep dogs under close control; and consider other people and users when visiting the countryside. And enjoy!

You can even off-set the carbon emissions from your trip to either The Bay or Esplanade Hotel - visit www.co2balance.com.

ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

Our Environmental Policy

We hereby commit to improve our environmental performance by:

• Complying with all relevant environmental legislation and industry codes of practice
• Actively working towards reducing environmental impact and prevent pollution that occurs as a result of our operation
• Considering the concerns of interested parties such as guests, members, local residents, employees and regulators
• Setting objectives and targets to drive continual improvement programmes, and regularly review environmental performance to ensure success
• Ensuring all employees and sub contractors are aware of this policy and trained in their environmental responsibilities
• Engaging suppliers and guests in environmental initiatives which support the environmental aims of the company
• Making this policy available to our customers and the public on demand

This policy will be implemented within the framework of an Environmental Management System designed to meet the requirements of BS8555. The company will seek to reduce energy consumption by January 2009.

Examples of Recent Environmental Improvements

By investing in the hotels and constantly improving facilities on a regular basis, we ensure that wasteful and non-efficient facilities are either repaired or removed and replaced with efficient and waste / energy minimising models. Over the last few years we have been pro-actively reducing our energy consumption within the hotel. We have invested a large amount of money purchasing efficient equipment and training our staff to use them resourcefully.

We also have a nominated environmental controller in each hotel. They have recently undergone an Envirowise (part of the South West of England Regional Development Agency) training course in order to integrate the environment policy into the existing good business practice.

Some examples of our new facilities / procedures include:

• We have recently invested in a super-efficient and energy saving NuWay Boiler.
• Whilst undergoing our refurbishments, we have installed Keycard Electricity Activation sockets in the bedrooms.
• We use compact fluorescent bulbs which use 10% of the energy consumed by Halogen bulbs. Plus, where possible we use LED lighting which uses even less.
• Installation of efficient kitchen and gas equipment.
• A recent loft insulation has helped to reduce loss of heat through the building.
• A new Heat Exchange Dishwasher has been installed to capture the steam from the dishwasher and convert it into water and heat, thus using 40% less water and 30% less heating.
• We have fitted sensored lighting in public toilets and hotel bathrooms.
• Most of our toilets now use efficient flush systems - in rooms where these are not included, we use Hippo Bags to reduce water flow.
• We use reusable bottled water which uses water filtered on site.
• We have replaced many of our baths with showers and encourage guests to use the showers where possible.
• We have a strict recycle policy and the all departments are instrumental in adhering to this from recycling paper and double-printing on paper at Reception to waste minimising in the laundry and recycling boxes and plastic in the kitchens.
• Responsible purchasing is also in place. We use 90% local suppliers and ensure the produce supplied is also local.
• We are currently investing in a new Managerial Office Suite which will be 80% paper free.
• E-mail confirmations and online bookings also play a large part in the hotels reservation systems.
• Staff and Guests are educated about recycling and encouraged to recylcle within the hotels and within the local community - information is included within the hotel guest information folder and at reception.
• Waste and energy minimisation is encouraged within the hotel bedrooms via signs and guest information signs.
• Public Transport is promoted within the hotels and training is given to ensure front of house staff are able to provide guests with information of local transport routes.
• We use an in-house laundry to minimise transport costs - this also enables us to have direct control over washing temperatures. We use modern, efficient, commercial laundry equipment.

ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY

Since 2002 we have invested over 7 million into The Bay Hotel and The Esplanade Hotels. Within these investments, we actively support the local economic and social communities by using local contractors, producers and suppliers wherever possible. Lists of contractors and producers are available on request.

We pay above average wages and currently employee 90 full time staff (all live locally) - our direct wage investments alone are around £1million per year.

Our guests are encouraged to visit other local businesses, to buy local and support the local economy. We also use local suppliers and produce wherever possible to reduce the environmental impact of transportation and to contribute to the local economy.

The Bay and Esplanade Hotels are equal opportunities employers. It is the Hotel's policy to treat all employees and job applicants fairly and equally regardless of their sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, age, disability or union membership status. Furthermore the hotels will ensure that no requirement or condition will be imposed without justification which could disadvantage individuals purely on any of the above grounds.

Our environmental, economic and social commitments are ongoing and we look forward to constantly reviewing and adding to our list of sustainable achievements.

"We are proud to be a member of CoaST, a tiny but tenacious social enterprise whose aim is to work towards one planet tourism; a type of tourism which provides benefits to the people, economy and environment of Cornwall, and which operates within our social, financial and environmental means."

Eat Cornish

We are committed to buying local produce and using Cornish suppliers:

• Meat - Brian Etheringtons of Redruth (01209 890555)
• Fruit and Vegetables - West Country Fruit Sales (01326 372304)
• Fresh Fish - Matthew Stevens, St.Ives (01736 792054)
• Dairy - Lillie Brothers, Falmouth (01326 374367)
• Dry Stores - Chaffins of Redruth (01209 202122)
• Beverages - St. Austell Brewery, including the Cornish Rattler Cider and Camel Valley Wines.
• Ales - Skinners Brewery