The Peterboat releases statement after Easter weekend rubbish criticism

Paul Barthaud, Director of East Anglia Pub Company, which is the umbrella of The Peterboat, The Hamlet, The Trading Room, The Bellhouse and The Exchange, expressed how the staff spent hours clearing up the rubbish left by people over the bank holiday on the PUBLIC LAND along the seafront in Leigh and Southend which has actually nothing to do with The Peterboat. 

*** OFFICIAL STATEMENT ***

Following photographs published by Your Southend over the Bank Holiday weekend, we feel that it is a necessity to address the conjecture and misinformation circulating regarding The Peterboat.

Firstly, we are appalled, along with the general public, by the abuse of the public areas and beaches in Leigh-On-Sea. We have only seen this issue swell despite public awareness of the impact on the environment widen.

Photographs circulated on social media have sparked debate and engaged people to be conscious of the litter epidemic which hits Leigh annually upon the arrival of the sun – it has also led to opinions and conclusions being formed on the basis of incomplete information.

The beach and sea wall (adjacent to The Peterboat) are high usage public areas. Southend-on-Sea Borough Council are solely responsible for the maintenance, signage and refuse arrangements. This being said, The Peterboat does not disregard this area as being outside of their remit.

The Peterboat endeavour to maintain all public areas outside of its perimeter, ensuring they are kept clean and tidy to the best of our ability. We acknowledge that people using these civic locations may be Peterboat patrons, however the majority are not.

During peak season we employ permanent members of staff to patrol and clean these public access spaces, the cost of which is not subsidised. We do not allow our staff to clear the beach below the sea wall during the height of service periods. Our staff have endured verbal abuse whilst clearing the beach with projectiles being thrown at them. As such we restrict beach clearance to outside peak periods, before the tide. This occurs daily without fail.

Additional bins are supplied and maintained by The Peterboat and located on public land along the sea wall. Our staff regularly empty these bins to ensure they are continuously available.

East Anglia Pub Company are conscious of our environmental footprint and have therefore adopted new practices over the past year. The Peterboat now recycles all glass on site, with clear signage and instructions for patrons at their bin stations. All venues actively recycle waste in addition to having become 'Refill Stations' - we encourage customers to refill their bottles at our sites reducing the need for single use plastics. (Full details of similar stations can be found at https://refill.org.uk or by downloading the Refill HQ app) We have also placed a company-wide embargo on the use of plastic straws and stirrers. All sites are now using wooden stirrers and REPA straws, made from ground seashells; these straws are non-toxic and 100% biodegradable.

The use of single use plastic cups is not a decision made by East Anglia Pub Company. It is a Southend-on-Sea Borough Council requirement for us to use plastic glasses and applies to all venues in Old Leigh during peak season. We fully support the Councils decision to implement such stipulations in the interest of public safety. We are currently looking into alternative; viable options with the hope the council will aid us in this endeavour. We have read many suggestions regarding a deposit scheme; unfortunately this is not feasible due to the volume of trade and operational disturbance.

East Anglia Pub Company greatly appreciate all support received in connection to their ongoing endeavours. We do however ask that any concerns are directed directly to our Head Office for consideration, as thrusting presumptions into the public domain based on a photograph with no context can be very damaging to a business. We work passionately to offer our patrons an enhanced experience and operate in a responsible manner.

If you would like to help along with us and contribute to the clean up of Leigh-On-Sea on days similar to those being photographed, Southend-on-Sea Borough Council have launched a 'Street Champion Network', an initiative that encourages local residents in Southend-on-Sea to care for their neighbourhood by volunteering time to collect litter from their local street, green space, beach or other communal land. There is no formal commitment required to become a Street Champion volunteer, you can give as much or as little time as you like, either in a group or on your own. You will be provided with a welcome kit that includes a litter picker, gloves, sacks, bag hoop, high-viz jacket, a window sticker plus any additional equipment you might need to carry out your role. Southend Councils team will also give you training and support. If you are interested in any of these initiatives then please contact Veolia by email at uk.southend-recycling@veolia.com or 0203 567 6955.

Kind Regards

The Peterboat Team

We have not been contacted by Use Your Loaf Southend for right of reply.

Our Head Office is open Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm enquiries@eastangliapubs.com 01702 447071

*** END OF STATEMENT ***

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