We try to do our bit for the environment and this is an on going project.

Wood Burners

We use only logs supplied by Dunn just  outside of Braxted we burn our wood burners only during service and the money spent on the supply helps to fund management of local forest and woodlands.

Cardboard and Paper

These valuable recyclable items are separated and duly re cycled.

Garden Waste

Nick and Lynn Munson manage our gardens and compost garden waste to replenish both the back and front gardens.

Conservation

Being set in a rural environment, the back garden has areas set aside undisturbed to allow a multitude of flora and forna to inhabit; we use some of the back garden to cultivate fresh garden herbs, chillies, peppers and edible flowers. We try to make use of all of our gardens natural bounty.

Pesticides and insecticides

We use no pesticides or insecticides.

Birds

Whilst providing undisturbed areas for birds to nest, roost and feed in, our feathered friends are fed with kitchen scraps and seeds during the winter months.

Oak Tree and Tree husbandry

We intend to honour our responsibility to properly maintaining the historic Braxted Oak which makes such a pleasant feature for The Ducane, the tree is maintained on an annual basis by a qualified tree surgeon.
We will plant a tree for every year of our tenure.

Water conservation

The kitchen operates a multi cook policy for ingredients requiring boiling thus reducing the volume of water used, refreshing ingredients is also completed by recycling water and plans are afoot to use the waste water from our food preparation to irrigate the gardens and herb garden.
Water boiling etc is carried out using a pan with a tight fitting lid.

Cleaning chemicals and sanitizers

Using bio degradable and eco friendly range of chemically inert cleaning products, Johnson Diversey spend millions of pounds each year manufacturing the safest possible chemicals essential to a hygienic kitchen environment whilst minimising the impact on the eco system.

Delivery packaging

We have adopted a recyclable and reusable policy with our deliveries, suppliers follow set criteria delivering either in reinforced cardboard boxes which we separate for recycling, and other ingredients are delivered in re usable plastic trays or at worst their original farm packaging.

Cooking Oil

All our cooking oil drained twice weekly from our deep fat fryers is stored and collected for re cycling into bio fuels by Greased lightning ltd

Printing paper

All Paper is separated and recycled or re used as scrap.

Local Suppliers

To reduce road miles we use as many local suppliers as possible sometimes at some considerable increase in cost for the products we purchase, all of our Beef, Lamb, Eggs, Bread, Seasonal Vegetables, Wood, Apple Juice, Beer, Pork, Pork products, Game, Shellfish, Fish, Manure, Apples, Soft Fruits, Turkeys, Herbs, Apples & Pears, Jam and Marmalades, Poultry, Ice Creams, Sausages, Honey and many more ingredients  are all supplied from local farms within a 8 mile radius of The Ducane. We operate a barter scheme for budding local gardeners to bring in their produce such as bull ace plums, apples, figs, pears, cucumbers and much more, we trade beer or food for produce. Our apple juice supplier operates a cooperative and presses all the local apples for local residents and returns it to them as juice.

Welfare of animals

We are all animal lovers and go to great lengths to ensure that we purchase ethically farmed/reared meat at all times, Kit Speakman a local beef and lamb farmer produces excellent meat which we use throughout our menus knowing the provenance and even the farmer himself, Wicks manor supplier the bulk of our pork and pork products reared and prepared on the farm using traditional methods and excellent animal welfare standards, Turkeys and poultry are of course free range and grain fed.

Game is shot in the local fields and is as much pest control as sport, funds raised from organised shoots are put back into the woodlands and pasture used for the benefit of all, and hunts are conducted in the traditional way

We buy no baited or coursed game.

Over fishing and damage to fish species.

We purchase a range of fish some farmed in DEFRA approved farms situated out at sea, salmon from Scottish Farms in Loch Duarte, Dived Scallops are used  over dredged, rope grown mussels over natural harvested, lobsters and crabs caught in pots and where ever possible buying direct from the local markets or local fishing fleet. The majority is however wild native fish species.

We regularly review our purchasing policy and use green peace as reference for our policy, we do not purchase any endangered species and have switched from cod to line caught Pollock.

Were ever possible we purchase line caught, day boat landed fish and try to use less well known species of fish to tempt our customers.

We purchase whole fish and use bones for stocks and sauces.

We only purchase 2kg or above weighted crabs and lobsters outside of the breeding seasons when the hens carry fertilised eggs.

We purchase no frozen fish and no factory boat prepared products.

We use no artificially dyed fish or fish products.

Vegetable Waste

If not used as a natural feed supplement for the chickens that supply our eggs we compost the bulk of our vegetable trimmings, leaves are used as winter mulch.

Fair Trade

Coffee and Teas are all purchased from suppliers supporting the fair trade mark.

Community Work

The Ducane is committed to supporting all local events and fund raising for a variety of local charities and community projects. We look forward to continuing our support for all local fund raising events and projects.

Environmental Impact

The Ducane is committed to lessening the impact of the business in a rural residential location, we will be assisting in clean up days and continue to maintain the property to the appropriate standard.

We hope to soon take over the maintenance of the old style red telephone box and will develop this as a floral feature.

Customers are urged to leave the premises quietly.

The Ducane operates a strict challenge 21 policy at the bar and maintains its licensing objectives diligently with regards to public disorder and underage drinking.

We are part of the neighbourhood watch scheme.

Meat Scraps

Happily devoured by my Cat and Dog at a voracious rate.

Carbon Neutral Water

Our bottled water is the only carbon neutral water in the UK and every bottle sold part of the sales is used to sponsor green water projects.

Bait Boxes and rodent control

Apart from the cat we only control and lay poison inside the premises and operate no bait boxes or poisons in the gardens allowing small mammals at least some chance as the cat is pretty good.