Chef boils over after reusable cup ban on train
THE television cook Hugh Fearnley-whittingstall has criticised South Western Rail after it forced him to use a single-use plastic cup over “health and safety” fears.
The chef was travelling on one of their trains when a member of staff refused to serve him a cup of tea in his reusable cup.
South Western is one of the only train companies in the UK which does not let passengers use their own cups, so if they want to buy a cup of tea or coffee on board, they have to use single-use plastic. Other operators, including LNER, Virgin Trains and Great Western Railway, do let customers use reusable mugs.
Fearnley-whittingstall spoke out against the ban, tweeting: “Rail Gourmet on @Sw_railway just refused to make me a cup of tea in my keep cup – saying it’s company policy to use the cups provided. I’ve asked on many other trains (inc Great Western and Cross Country) and this is the first time I’ve been refused.”
A spokesman for the company replied that this was due to the “safety aspect”, adding: “The water dispenser doesn’t have an adjustable spout, thus some cups don’t fit safely.”
Fearnley-whittingstall responded: “Surely if other train lines can do it, so can you.”
The rail operator confirmed their cups are nonrecyclable, adding they hope to sell compostable cups in the future.
The spokesman added that in order for recyclable cups to be used, staff will have to be health-and-safety trained so they can fill them without being scalded by hot water.
There will also be restrictions on which cups can be used; the mug needs to be clean and undamaged, have a suitable fitting lid and fit under the water spout of the trolley without the requirement to tilt the cup.