Entertainment People, Down Hall, Chris Innis “Just asking guests to hang up their towels to help preserve the environment is no longer enough” says Sean Quinney, General Manager of Down Hall Country House Hotel. Down Hall, owned by The Veladail Collection, is passionate about doing more to protect its natural environment and believes that all hotel owners have an obligation to do their utmost to ‘Go Green’ Leading by example, Down Hall undertook an eco-audit in January 2008 with a commitment to become more environmentally conscious and carbon neutral within the 12 months. It calculated that Down Hall alone produces around 1100 tonnes of carbon a year, sends 80 tonnes of waste to landfill, and spends £130,000 on electricity. Therefore the parent company as a whole would have a carbon footprint of approximately 2500 tonnes per annum. An environmental policy was drawn up and staff and suppliers appraised of the company’s environmental objectives, the key elements of which include:
Reducing electricity usage by over 10%.
Reducing landfill waste by over 50%.
Producing over 25% of their own fruit and vegetables.
Reducing paper usage by 25%.In April Down Hall will be switching to 100% renewable energy, thereby reducing their carbon output by approximately 70%.
Although only in the initial stages, Down Hall has already undertaken a number of environmental initiatives including:
changing over 50% of light bulbs to CFL energy saving bulbs,
printing all menus on recycled board or paper,
using old newspaper and magazines to produce paper logs for the open fire and,
working with a new recycling company.
The results have been immediate. Within the last two months it has reduced the amount of waste it sends to landfill by 25% and electricity by almost 10%. The target for electricity saving has now been increased to a 20% reduction within the first year.
Two other major initiatives have also been instigated. In January, the company vehicle was changed to a Toyota Prius and a four-acre site earmarked for a vegetable garden has been cleared and prepared ready for sowing and planting in early spring. In April Down Hall will be switching to 100% renewable energy, thereby reducing their carbon output by approximately 70%. The change to energy saving light bulbs will be completed by the summer; water saving devises fitted into toilet systems and non-chemical cleaning products introduced within the next few months. 
The company is also investigating options of harvesting rainwater to flush toilets, gradually switching to more locally produced products to reduce ‘Food Miles’ and working with the Essex Wildlife Trust to enhance and make better use of its 30 acres of protected woodland. However it is not enough for the hotel to just do their part – guests and suppliers need to commit to the scheme and management is optimistic about their likely responses. Down Hall has met with over 60 of its suppliers to inform them of the hotel's new environmental policy and whilst accepting that it will take time, it is adamant that in the future all suppliers to Down Hall and The Veladail Collection must have their own environmental policies and credentials. Guests will have the option to pay a ‘carbon off-setting’ charge as the hotel has calculated the direct carbon output for each type of guest stay ranging from 50p for a one night stay to several hundred pounds to off set a major event, conference or seminar held at the hotel. Down Hall is setting a standard it believes all businesses can follow if the UK is to reach its target of a 16% reduction in emissions by 2020. Down Hall Hotel is one of England's most established Country House Hotels. Located in Hatfield Heath, near Bishop's Stortford, Hertfordshire,
http://www.downhall.co.uk/
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