Dixcart Bay Hotel 'sets target for others', scoring Britain's highest for sustainability in 2012

DIXCART BAY, the oldest hotel in Sark, has achieved this year's highest scores in Britain from the Sustainable Restaurant Association – and Gold from the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

The hotel has shown "dedication to sustainability and a commitment to running restaurants responsibly", said The SRA, who awarded the Dixcart 88%. And in awarding it 87%, the GTBS added: "Your progress for a first set of assessments is particularly good, and Sark will clearly shortly become a beacon green destination in its own right."

These are the latest in a string of green accolades by Sark Island Hotels, which operates four hotels in Sark – situated 80 miles off the south coast of England.

Its 'Green File' contains over 80 eco initiatives it adheres to. The team talks in food metres, not food miles, because Sark is a car-free island and logistics can be done by tractor, by bicycle or on foot.

Mark Linehan, managing director of the Sustainable Restaurant Association, said: "Dixcart Bay has shown what's possible with dedication and commitment to running restaurants responsibly.

"From their very close attention to sourcing the best local, seasonal and organic produce, through to their establishment of a very effective waste management system, the team at Dixcart deserve enormous praise for their efforts in achieving the highest rating of 2012 – so far. They have set a target for others to aim at."

Dixcart Bay Hotel, which recently re-opened after a period of refurbishment, joins La Moinerie Hotel, Aval du Creux and Hotel Petit Champ in Sark in holding three stars from The SRA.

Sustainable Sark story continues
All the hotels, a pub and a dedicated tourism office within the Sark Island Hotels group have also been praised highly by the Green Tourism Business Scheme.

Aval du Creux and La Moinerie Hotel – the No1 TripAdvisor hotel in Sark – both join Dixcart with Gold badges from the GTBS, while Hotel Petit Champ and the Bel Air Inn pub hold silver.

In June, Hotel Petit Champ was also crowned Small Accommodation Provider of 2012 at the Considerate Hotel of the Year Awards who said it was "most inspirational in terms of its green journey, without all the trappings and resources of big business".

Sark Island Hotels' market gardens, which supply all its hotels with fresh seasonal produce on a demand-led basis to reduce waste, was also crowned Considerate Local Green Supplier of the Year 2012.

Hendrik Lessing, green ambassador for Sark Island Hotels – and shortlisted alongside chef Raymond Blanc at the 2012 Foodservice Footprint awards – said: "We are extremely proud of the results we've achieved. The Dixcart scored 88% from the Sustainable Restaurant Association and 87% from the Green Tourism Business Scheme and shows just how far we've come in less than a year.

"We are fully aware of the current environmental issues that are affecting the world at this point in time and are fully committed to reducing our carbon footprint by protecting and sustaining local, national and global environments in whatever way we can."

For interviews, quotes or images please contact: Bernadette Costello e:bernadette@costellomedia.co.uk
www.costellomedia.co.uk / www.sarkislandhotels.com

Sark Island Hotels' Green File

Sark Island Hotels have implemented over 80 initiatives and continue to look for more ways to improve. Initiatives include:

Market gardens and greenhouses to supply hotels with a variety of seasonal fruit, vegetables and herbs grown under organic principles

A complementary growing/sourcing strategy is in place, which means that the market gardens will not grow any produce that is already supplied to the restaurant by other suppliers

The removal of all fish on the Marine Conservation Society's 'Fish to Avoid' list from the menu

A strong commitment to animal welfare with a choice of free-range meat and poultry

Planted own vineyards and orchards that will supply 92,000 bottles of Sark wine each year

Introduced 14 nucleus colonies of bees onto the island of Sark to increase biodiversity and create a local supply of honey called 'Naturally Sark Honey'

Recycling depot: we have set up our own recycling facilities to deal with all plastics, glass and metals in a responsible way with glass being up-cycled into a reusable product

All properties have bore holes for water supply and therefore none comes from mains water – measurements taken each week

Monitor waste and recycling at all hotels

Huge amounts of natural daylight from glass windows and doors, lemon and orange trees also inside

LED lighting at almost the entire hotel group

Internal lighting: PIR motion sensors have been installed throughout the building, corridors and public toilets

Outside lighting LED lighting taken to the next level by installing 1 Watt down lights. Lights are also on a timer and will therefore only come on when necessary

Individual room heating controls

Waterless urinals & dual flush toilets installed in public toilet

State-of-the-art water treatment facility installed, no chlorine used.

Ecological water treatment - grade A river water achieved

All dairy is local and over 90% of meat is classed as local

Returnable/reusable packaging: all packaging from local fisherman and farmers is reusable and returned, including vegetable crates, egg trays and lobster/crab baskets. All other packing collected and recycled or reused to produce eco-briquettes for sale

Specialist waste reduction

Staff travel: walking or bicycle

Biodiesel production turning vegetable into fuel for the tractor

Water bottling plant

For interviews, quote or images please contact: e:bernadette@costellomedia.co.uk
www.costellomedia.co.uk