SUSTAINABILITY

SUSTAINABLE BY DESIGN – OUR PLANET-FRIENDLY APPROACH

Since starting our business in 2004, and taking on responsibility for its historical buildings, reclamation and reuse has been in our blood. Our ethos has always been to reduce waste whilst restoring and reviving beautiful architecture and artefacts to suit our modern life. Whilst we comply with all existing environmental legislation requirements as a very minimum, our sustainability ambitions far exceed these and stretch beyond design. They inform everything we do.  We have embraced and established working practices that aim to create harmony with our immediate community and its environment. Here are some of the ways we currently strive to achieve this:

REPURPOSE

In keeping with our design ethos, we have always used salvaged materials and rescued antique furniture where possible, to reduce waste and save beautiful resources from the scrap heap.

We proudly champion local craftspeople and makers to restore and breathe new life into old finds.

• • Our outdoor tables were handcrafted by a local carpenter using timber salvaged from the old Hasting’s Pier, after it was destroyed in a 2010 fire.
  • A huge antique barge sail now graces the restaurant walls, and its off cuts have been made into bill holders.
  • After our 2019 fire, we carefully salvaged items for reuse where possible, such as the original ballroom floor which now has a new home downstairs in the waiters’ station.

REDUCE

We aim to reduce our energy consumption and overall carbon footprint.

• • Let the train take the strain! Staff and guests alike are encouraged to use public transport (or a bike or shanks’ pony for the locals!) as the best way to reach us.
  • We use energy saving LED bulbs throughout our properties.
  • Guests are politely encouraged to consider our “Green Towel Code” to help reduce unnecessary water consumption and our collective carbon footprint created by the increased energy use of extra laundry.
  • Our ongoing in-house staff training advises everyone to be mindful of daily small habits such as switching off lights and reducing unnecessary use of paper.

RECYCLE

We recycle glass, plastic, and paper at all our premises, and continually review how best to improve this.

• • Our Dragon bar coasters are made from recycled materials, and our room keycards are made from a sustainable wood pulp which is also recyclable.
  • Our kitchens operate a special separation of food waste, which is then recycled for biomass or animal feed.
  • We aim to completely remove the use of single use plastics and have replaced plastic straws in the bars with paper ones.
  • Our menus are printed on eco-friendly FSC-certified paper by Fenner. Each sheet is made using by-products from fruits like kiwi, grapes, olives, and cherries instead of virgin tree pulp. There, natural raw materials are saved from landfill and transformed into vibrantly coloured papers using a planet-conscious manufacturing process.

REUSE

The George practices a waste not, want not approach to both new and old products and systems. 

• • We have implemented an ongoing reduction of wasteful one-use packaging by providing our local suppliers with containers to deliver food, which they then re-use for subsequent deliveries.
  • Our reception desk started life as a church altar.
  • Complementary water in rooms is provided in reusable glass bottles.

REJUVENATE

We believe we are what we eat (and drink!)  and that locally field-grown is better than flown.

• • We source our food as locally and seasonally as possible. Many of our producers and growers are family-owned enterprises.
  • This in turn helps us directly support our local community, minimise food miles and maximise quality, freshness, and flavour.
  • From the vineyards of Kent to the Sussex Downs, we are proud to showcase so many small, hyper-local producers on our drinks menu.
  • Wine on tap! We serve carefully selected wines by the glass, supplied in kegs by local vineyards. A 20l keg equates to a 50% smaller storage footprint than bottled wine, saving 16kg of glass, and ensures the last sip is a fresh as the first. We’ll cheers to that.