Sustainability through better decisions

The Victoria Inn’s approach has been to look closely at how and when energy is being consumed rather than viewing sustainability simply as a question of installing new technology.

That means challenging everyday routines, examining equipment and operating times, measuring consumption and understanding where relatively small operational changes can produce meaningful results.

It sits alongside The Vic’s wider sustainability journey, which has included work around LED lighting, cellar efficiency, energy reduction, renewable energy adn is set to involve voltage optimisation, further insulation and designated air conditioned area to help our guest protect from the increase of heat due to climate change.

For Mark & Justin, getting the team involved is just as important as the technology.

“Our sustainability journey is really about asking questions. Why do we do something this way? What does the data tell us? Could we do it differently?

“Some of the best results haven’t necessarily come from big capital projects. They’ve come from understanding our building and our operation better and then getting the whole team behind making small changes.

“To be able to take the journey of an independent Cornish pub and share it on a national stage with the wider hospitality industry was something I was incredibly proud to do.”

A challenging future for hospitality

The wider seminar demonstrated why this work is becoming increasingly important.

The discussion explored the pressures facing hospitality businesses, from energy prices and inflation to supply-chain pressures, changing consumer behaviour and the effects of a warming climate.

One striking example came from itsu and Sustainable Energy First. During the summer heat, refrigeration and air-conditioning systems faced such pressure that it could actually be cheaper to leave refrigeration operating overnight rather than switching it off and requiring the equipment to work harder to recover temperature.

Other discussions looked at the forthcoming Deposit Return Scheme (DRS), reducing food waste and the relationship between food, water and energy consumption.

The message for hospitality businesses was clear: environmental performance and commercial performance are becoming increasingly connected.

From Cornwall to the national conversation

For The Victoria Inn, being part of that conversation is particularly important.

The ambition isn’t simply to reduce the environmental impact of one pub in Threemilestone. It is to demonstrate what is achievable, share what has worked and hopefully encourage other hospitality businesses to examine their own data and challenge established ways of working.

Mark said:

“As an independent operator, we aren’t going to solve climate change on our own. But we can take responsibility for the things we can influence.

“If we can reduce consumption, save money, engage our team and then share what we’ve learnt so that another pub or hospitality business can do the same, the impact becomes much bigger than just The Victoria Inn.”

And that is perhaps the most encouraging message from The Vic’s journey so far.

Being more sustainable doesn’t always have to mean spending more. Sometimes it starts with understanding more.