Bath pub's unusual solution to its waste collection woes

The boss of Bath Pub Company has explained why one of his pubs now puts out waste and recycling in a wooden roadside box.

Marlborough Tavern, near the Royal Crescent, was suffering a "succession of operational and hygiene problems" from keeping its waste inside.

And rubbish bags left out on the street on a Sunday faced the risk of being ripped open by animals and their contents strewn across the pavement.

The pub on its parent company's Twitter account shared a video of the street when this had happened, to which the user Baldeagle replied: "Disgraceful. Pick the rubbish up if it is yours."

Taxi driver and Liberal Democrat member Paul Roles wrote: "Oh so it's OK for this to happen.!! To the public then??? It's your rubbish!! Why if at all businesses did this??"

The Bath Pub Company runs four city pubs: Hare & Hounds, Chequers, Locksbrook Inn and Marlborough Tavern.

Speaking to Bath Live, its managing director Joe Cussens said: "Basically they're to tidy up and improve the area.

"It gives us somewhere that we can put recycling bins rather than putting rubbish where they tend to get attacked by vermin.

"We're trying to house them in something that's easier on the eye."

He said the pub's waste and recycling is put out in its garden during Monday-Saturday for collectors.

However, on Sundays they must be left on the pavement and the time its contractors collect them varies.

Mr Cussens said: "During these periods we have rubbish and food waste sat on the pavement which causes a bit of a health issue.

"It looks awful for residents and visitors to Bath in general. It blocks the pavement."

Inside the box are four small commercial waste wheelie bins - one for food, glass, mixed recycling and general non-recycling. "It allows us to make separating our waste more effective," Mr Cussens said.

Speaking about how the box has been received, he said: "From the reaction we've had from our neighbours is they're supportive.

"They like the idea of these bins being put in something more robust.

"There's some people on Twitter who seem to be outraged that we have the temerity to do this.

"Across Bath there are lots of examples of business owners ... restaurants and bars who have got commercial waste bins at the public highway or pavements, where by the letter of the law they shouldn't be doing that.

"What they haven't done is put them into a wooden storage box and we took the decision that it looks better."

He said the box is sat on a loading bay which was provided for the pub when the four-way junction onto Weston Road was re-worked.

"It's removed an obstruction," he said.

"If you have a pushchair user or a wheelchair, it (waste bags) blocks the path.

"I just think people should live and let live a bit.

"We're trying to run a 21st century food and drink business in a building that was built in 1760."

Mr Cussens said ever-increasing food hygiene requirements are putting new demands on pub and restaurant management.

"Consistently there are higher levels of standards put on restaurants and pubs in terms of health and safety and what you can do inside the building," he said.

"And there's only so much you can do inside your four walls and then you have to go outside."

Leaving waste bins in the cellar is problematic, Mr Cussens said, because employees then have to carry them up and down stairs, running the risk of the bins leaking.

"There's all sorts of headaches if you have to keep your waste within its four walls," he said.

"We're not doing this to save money.

"We've had to buy these bin enclosures.

"All we're trying to do, hand on heart, is improve the quality of life for our neighbours, residents and visitors and to look after the welfare of our staff."

Want more news?

To subscribe to our daily newsletter, enter your email address into the box at the top of this story.

For the latest news and breaking news from Bath click here. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter @bathlive - our official news account.

Get in touch by the channels above, email sam.petherick@reachplc.com or WhatsApp 07890546735.