The White Cliffs hotel in Dover, Kent, England
How this holiday makes a difference
Environment
At The White Cliffs Hotel, we constantly challenge ourselves to provide the right environment for our guests and staff team. To achieve this, we rely heavily on external resources, such as water, energy, waste-recycling services, wholesome food products, eco-friendly cleaning materials, detergents, and laundry services. In fact, we depend on the very same items we use in our homes, but in greater volumes. We also realise the need to protect our natural environment and, as such, we place huge importance on the management of these precious resources. Over time, we have been implementing policies and systems designed to reduce the impact we have on our natural environment.
Water Conservation
We continue to reduce the volumes of water used by the introduction of fittings and equipment that eliminates the excessive use of water. These measures include water-efficient showerheads and toilet cisterns. We also use collected rainwater in appropriate circumstances.
Energy Conservation
We are in the process of installing energy saving equipment throughout the hotel. We monitor energy usage and have implemented systems to reduce wastage. The positive consequences of this are that there is a reduction of carbon into the atmosphere by the more efficient use of energy. In addition to this, we have signed up to the Green Tourism Business Scheme and hope to achieve further energy savings over time with the installation of state of the art technologies.
Recycling
Launched in 2008, our waste management programme directs our waste from landfill towards “Reduce, Re-use and Recycle”. We are now extracting glass, cardboard, newspapers and aluminium cans from our waste streams and have invested in state-of-the-art equipment for the on-site treatment of organic waste which is prepared and passed for composting.
Community
We support the local Sustainable Communities Project (launched 12th March 2008) - St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe and St. Margaret's Bay has been earmarked as a 'Low Carbon Community'. The hotel is actively engaged in promoting this campaign through individual involvement and sponsorship of various schemes such as The 'Green Footprint Group' set up by the Dover Grammar School for Boys. An initiative which offers workshops and advice on green issues to the local primary school. Members of the hotel team have also had involvement in the steering group which set up a company which now provides meals made from locally sourced produce to over 1500 students in local schools.
We are also members of a group which brings together accommodation providers, restaurateurs and other tourist related service providers in the immediate locality to promote and sustain a responsibly run tourism destination. The hotel employs a staff of around 12 all from the immediate local area. All staff live within a 5 mile radius and are encouraged to use sustainable forms of travel to and from work. The restaurant relies heavily on the local community and partnerships with local businesses to supply produce. Locally reared meat is prioritised as is locally grown fruit and vegetables from ‘The Garden of England’. All fish used is from sustainable sources mostly from local day boats. We also use produce from our own gardens and orchards.
For over 25 years we have been involved in a group of Saturday morning volunteers who have tirelessly marched down to the beach at St. Margaret's Bay with litter-pickers and orange sacks in hand to clean the beach of washed-up and dropped rubbish. We have litter-pickers (in the umbrella stand in the lounge) available for guests use if they would like to make a positive impact on the enviornment during their stay.
Landscape
At The White Cliffs Hotel we actively enhance our guests experience by offering special breaks and experiences in the Kent Downs AONB including guided walks, horse riding breaks, sea swimming and canoeing. We are actively involved members of an organisation called First Light Coast and Country whose goal is to preserve and enhance the environment of St. Margaret's Bay and St. Margaret's-at-Cliffe whilst encouraging economic growth and attracting discerning visitors to enjoy the facilities, services, products and countryside in a responsible and sustainable manner.
