Whitbread considers scrapping baths at Premier Inn
As part of the group’s Good Together corporate sustainability programme, Whitbread is looking at new ways to reduce its impact on the environment, now and in the future.
It currently operates two environmentally-friendly budget hotels in Tamworth and Burgess Hill, the latter of which also features a green Beefeater restaurant.
Speaking at the launch of a Carbon Trust campaign to awaken businesses in the South East to the benefits of sustainable operations, Nigel Graham, head of property supply chain at Whitbread, said eliminating baths was just one area the group was looking at.
“We’re not sure what the world will be like in 40-50 years time - consumers will have different expectations and as sure as eggs is eggs, energy prices will be that much higher.
“Eliminating baths in the future is an interesting way of saving water. If we’re investing many tens of millions now to include them in our new builds, it would be foolhardy to put baths in when in fact we may not be able to afford the water or provide the water in 40 years time.
“We need to be thinking about what the world will look like in the future - whether its baths or lighting or other issues in terms of design and provision of everything we do. However we need to do it in conjunction with our guests through feedback and focus groups. There’s a lot of work to do in this area as to what the hotel of the future will look like.”
To watch a full interview with Nigel Graham on Whitbread’s corporate sustainability strategy, plus advice from the Carbon Trust on making your business more environmentally friendly, visit BigHospitality tomorrow.
