Liverpool-based SK Events organises festivals across the North West and is encouraging its restaurant, cafes, bar and food producers partners to eliminate avoidable plastic waste. Tony McDonough reports
A major organiser of public events in the North West, including the Liverpool Food and Drink Festival, is pledging to drastically reduce the volume of plastics used by its food and drink partners.
In the last few days the Government has set out proposals to eliminate all avoidable plastic waste from the UK within 25 years.
Now, Liverpool-based SK Events says it is aiming to get ahead of the curve by minimising the use of harmful plastics at events including the Food and Drink Festival in Sefton Park, the Liverpool Spring Festival and Manchester Eats.
All restaurants, cafes, bars and producers across the three festivals are being encouraged to sign a pledge to only serve food and drink in containers that are biodegradable. Traders are also being urged not to use single-use plastic straws in drinks.
SK director Denise Harris said: “As a responsible organiser of a number of large public events and festivals, we are working towards making sure all our events are free from environmentally damaging plastics by 2019.
“At this year’s Liverpool Spring Festival, Liverpool Food and Drink Festival and Manchester Eats, we are urging all traders to voluntarily replace harmful plastics with more environmentally friendly alternatives. Next year, it will be a mandatory requirement.”
Dominic Levi, owner of Neon Jamon, Tribeca, Three Piggies and Porky’s Ski Hutte, welcomed the move. He added: “We’re all increasingly aware of our environmental footprint.
“There really is no need to keep on using damaging materials when there are plenty of alternatives available that are kinder to the planet.”
More than 30,000 visitors are expected to flock to Sefton Park for Liverpool Spring Festival on April 29-20 and an estimated 50,000 visitors are expected to attend Liverpool Food and Drink Festival when it returns to Sefton Park on September 15-16.