Hotel Cateys 2011 - Green Hotel of the Year
Sponsored by Brita Professional
WINNER: Battlesteads, Wark on Tyne, near Hexham, Northumberland
When Richard and Dee Slade took over Battlesteads as an ordinary pub with rooms in 2005, they had no idea how the necessity to overcome rural energy supply problems would transform the business.
Today the enterprise is a three star, 17-bedroom hotel with a 80-seat restaurant. It has a turnover which has grown nine-fold over the past six years, but, through a plethora of innovative sustainable initiatives, has increased its carbon footprint by only 10%. In 2010 - despite a 15% increase in food cooked and served - gas and electricity consumption was reduced by 36% and 16% respectively, year-on-year, through the introduction of induction hobs and Rational cookers.
Increased commitments to sustainable environmental practices in the past 12 months have included the development of a new two-acre garden which produces all green vegetables, salads and herbs for the restaurant during the summer; the gradual replacement of low-energy light bulbs for LED lights, which is expected to reduce energy by a further 40%; and the installation of a system to extract heat from the biomass boiler room and transport it to the polytunnels in the garden.
Battlesteads has also became the first hotel in Northumberland to install an electric car charging point. In addition, it has added three wormeries - where all uncooked green vegetables and shredded newspaper are emptied daily - and has reduced the amount of rubbish sent to landfill by 36% in the past 12 months.
The Slades use the hotel's environmental policy to engage guests by taking them on tours of the biomass boiler and garden and encouraging them to record sightings of wildlife, including the rare red squirrel. Students from schools and universities regularly visit for talks on sustainability.
What the judges said ...
"This clearly is Battlesteads' year and rightly so. They have shown that from humble beginnings and an incredible amount of self help, dedication and superhuman effort you really can move mountains. I was particularly impressed at what they have achieved within an existing building - no blank canvas here - and how they have reached out into their local community and almost become one."
John Firrell, director, Considerate Hoteliers Association
THE JUDGES
Dominic Burbridge, senior sector manager, hospitality and leisure, the Carbon Trust
John Firrell, director, Considerate Hoteliers Association
Mike Hanson, sustainability and environmental manager, BaxterStorey
Chris Horridge, chef director, The Fine Dining Academy
Nick Lancaster, director of resort operations, Langdale Leisure
Gary Lohan, chief engineer/environmental officer, One Aldwych
THE SHORTLIST
Battlesteads, Wark on Tyne, Northumberland
Lancaster London
Strattons Hotel, Swaffham, Norfolk
The Savoy, London
FORMER WINNERS
2010 Langdale Hotel & Spa
2009 One Aldwych
2008 Bedruthan Steps Hotel
2007 Novotel London West