OUR STRAW HEROES
Barrowland Ballroom, Glasgow Sheraton Grand Hotel, Edinburgh Beer Cafe, Glasgow Masonic Arms, Kirkcudbright Steam Packet, Kirkcudbright AArgyllllHHouse NNursing i Home, Kilmarnock Pied Piper Nursery, Shawlands, Glasgow Zucca, East Kilbride Kelburn Bar, Barrhead Black Horse Inn, Montrose SSE Hydro, Glasgow Academy Music Group Lebowskis, Glasgow & Edinburgh Greenbank Inn, Dalry Cromarty Arms, Cromarty Bowmore Hotel, Islay City nightclub, Falkirk Sportsters, Falkirk Cheers nightclub, Dumbarton The Clipper, Dumbarton Dine at 29 and Rooms at 29, Dunfermline Harlem nightclub, Dunfermline Fubar, Stirling Brewhemia, Edinburgh Porter and Rye, Glasgow The Finnieston, Glasgow The Crafty Pig, Glasgow The Drugstore Social, Glasgow Kelbourne Saint, Glasgow The Duchess of Argyle, Glasgow Cattle and Creel, Helensburgh La Barca Tapas, Helensburgh Padrone Pizza, Helensburgh Logie Baird, Helensburgh Mid Calder Bowling Club, West Lothian Cobbs coffee shops and hotels Tilly Tearoom, Tillicoultry & Dunblane Allanwater Cafe, Bridge of Allan Rossi’s Bar Lounge, Airdrie Hielan Jessie bar, Glasgow Pot Still, Glasgow The Dram, Glasgow Halt bar, Glasgow Garage Nightclub, Glasgow and Aberdeen Cathouse nightclub, Glasgow Steinhaus bar, Aberdeen Howlin’ Wolf pub, Glasgow Holyrood Palace Scottish Parliament Scottish Government buildings National Trust for Scotland University of Glasgow Forth Valley College Capri-Sun CalMac ferries NorthLink ferries ScotRail Scotch Whisky Association North Ayrshire Council Glasgow City Council Western Isles Council JD Wetherspoons All Bar One, Glasgow and Edinburgh Wagamama Pret a Manger Cineworld Caffe Nero Starbucks Hampden Park Murrayfield Stadium Celtic FC East Calder Children’s Gala Ayr Hospital volunteers’ tea bar Station Bar, Helensburgh Wee Windaes pub, Ayr Morrisons Lidl Wahaca restaurant chain Nando’s
Management at the Barrowland Ballroom have made the switch to using biodegradable alternatives.
The 2000- capacity venue, in Glasgow’s east end, has hosted the biggest names in music over the decades.
General manager Tom Joyes said: “We read about the campaign in the Sunday Mail and thought it was a good idea to get on board.
“Quite a lot of customers do want a straw nowadays so we didn’t want to remove straws completely but wanted to ensure we used different types instead.
“There’s not much difference in the price, as far as we are concerned, but there is a difference for the environmental impact.
“We have removed plastic straws and have in place other types which are more environmentally friendly.”
Hotel giant Marriott International say they will remove plastic straws from more than 60 sites across Britain. Venues, including the five-star Sheraton Grand Hotel in Edinburgh, wi l l use biodegradable alternatives instead.
Sheraton Grand manager Tristan Nesbitt said: “By removing plastic straws from our hotel, we have a real opportunity to play a small but signi f icant part in reducing the volume of plastic waste which can damage our environment.
“Hopefully this move will help create momentum within the community and demonstrate what can be achieved ahead of any proposed legislation.”
Other venues across Scotland are also joining our campaign.
LJ Jackson, co- owner with husband Simon of the Masonic Arms in Kirkcudbright, said: “We have made the move from plastic straws to paper-based ones.
“We just think it’s the right thing to do and are happy to make a stand on the issue.”
Last week, it emerged that plastic straws are set to be banned by the British and European parliaments in the latest victory for our campaign.
UK environment secretary Michael Gove said the Government wanted to do “everything we can” to restrict their use.
He suggested the EU were holding back moves on the issue – prompting a swift response on Friday from senior EU figures
We read about it in the Sunday Mail and then decided to get on board
promising a Europe-wide ban. It would force bars, pubs and restaurants to use biodegradable alternatives such as paper straws.
Gove said: “Plastic straws are a scourge. They’re just one example of the ways in which we pollute the oceans and damage marine wildlife.” He claimed that outlawing plastic straws would be easier postBrexit. He said being in the EU meant there were “some steps we might want to take environmentally that we can’t yet”.
But his comments sparked a retort from Frans Timmerman, vice-president of the EU’s executive cabinet , who told Gove on Twitter: “One step ahead of you. EU legislation on single- use plastics coming before the summer. Maybe you can align with us?”
A Defra spokesperson said: “We are exploring a range of options. We are committed through our 25-year environment plan to eliminating avoidable plastic altogether.”
The moves come af ter our campaign v ictory in making Scotland the first country in Europe to outlaw plastic straws.
The Scot t ish Government announced this month that a law could be in place by the end of next year. They urged companies to play their part by removing plastic straws from circulation now.