If you’ve ever enjoyed a coffee, a snack, or a drink while strolling along the Brighton seafront, you’ll know there’s nothing quite like it. You’ll also be aware that beach cleans are never-ending tasks and that bins are often overflowing and that plastic is the very worst offender. The good people of Leave No Trace Brighton do an excellent job and, if we aren’t helping with the cleanups, the more we can reduce our dependence on disposable plastics, the better.
We sat down with Matthew from Sea Lanes to talk about their inspiring sustainability pledge: removing single-use plastic for customers entirely.
Being on the seafront, we see firsthand the damage and destruction that comes with plastic products. We made the conscious decision that we don’t want to be a part of that, and we believe it’s our responsibility to protect our environment.
Juggling different kitchens right on the pebbles is no easy task, but Sea Lanes are making it look simple. For them, it’s all about making steady little tweaks that add up to a big win for our beach. Credit goes to Leave No Trace Brighton, who Matthew says were fundamental in guiding their journey to becoming single-use plastic free.
Small Swap, Big Impact
Going single-use plastic-free isn’t just about saying “no to plastic straws” – it’s a complete rethink of how a restaurant or food hall operates. Matthew and the team have introduced some brilliant eco-friendly alternatives:
- Huskee Cups – Innovative reusable cups made from raw coffee husks (a byproduct of coffee production) as part of a closed-loop system.
- Straws on request only – Compostable straws are only provided when customers ask for them.
- Compostable packaging – From takeaway dip pots to greaseproof paper, anything disposable served to customers is 100% compostable..
- Real crockery and cutlery – Replacing disposable items with ceramic plates and metal cutlery wherever possible.
- Refill stations – Encouraging visitors to refill reusable water bottles while offering reusable cups for tap water.
Behind the Scenes: A 65% Recycling Success
The impact goes far beyond what customers see on their tables. By removing customer-facing single-use plastics and improving waste management processes behind the scenes, Sea Lanes has increased its recycling rate from 34% to 65% in under a year, with plans to improve even further.
Why It’s Good for You (and the Planet)
Ditch the takeaway cup and you ditch what’s in it too – a study out this year found your daily flat white in a plastic-lined cup could mean swallowing hundreds of thousands of microplastic particles a year. Real crockery just feels better anyway, and you can relax knowing your visit isn’t leaving a footprint on the beach. Best of all, it takes the pressure off us as consumers. When we want to make sustainable choices about where to drink and dine, we can trust that the team has already done all the thinking and doing behind the scenes so that we can simply relax and enjoy ourselves.
Get Involved: We can all choose to pick up rubbish and bits of plastic on every visit to the beach, but if you want to be in good company and get extra support, Leave No Trace Brighton base themselves at Sea Lanes on the last Sunday of every month. You can join in the beach clean and be rewarded with a free ice cream. Got some old swimming kit gathering dust? Sea Lanes’ Leisure Loop scheme will happily take it off your hands and give it a second life instead of a spot in landfill.
Any top tips for enjoying life at the beach? We’d love to hear them.