Brewery, pub and restaurant operator Bath Ales has been named as a sustainability champion by the Sustainable Restaurant Association (S.R.A.) and awarded a double-star ‘excellent’ rating.
The firm, whose interests span the Graze restaurant chain, pubs and bars as well as its range of beers, was evaluated against set criteria covering 14 areas of sustainability as part of the judging process and received a good to excellent rating in all areas.
It was highly commended by the S.R.A. for its commitment to sourcing British produce as well as free-range meat, high-welfare milk and for changing its menu monthly to incorporate seasonally available vegetables. 
The strongest performance area for the firm was in ‘sourcing’, where it performed exceptionally well in the category for Ethical Meat and Dairy, gaining a score of 92%. Another high-scoring category for Bath Ales was ‘local and seasonal, where it was scored 81%.
Bath Ales, based at Warmley between Bath and Bristol, was also praised for setting up its own charitable foundation, The Hare Foundation, which supports local charities focusing on cancer, children and protecting the environment.
Managing director Robin Couling said: “We are delighted to have been awarded two stars in recognition of our sustainability efforts. We will be working over the next year towards adding a third and stepping from excellent to exceptional. The two-star gold ribbon will be proudly appearing in all our venues in the very near future.
“As a company, we prioritise using local, quality produce in our seasonal menus, which are updated regularly. We’re particularly proud of our new Christmas menu, which has recently been introduced into Graze restaurants and other food pubs. It’s a good example of how we use the best ingredients to create premium dishes and a memorable dining experience.”
The independently verified Sustainability Rating system gives diners the opportunity to choose a restaurant that matches their sustainability priorities. It works with venues to encourage sustainable food sourcing and efficient use of resources.
S.R.A. is a non-profit membership organisation, helping restaurants become more sustainable and diners make more sustainable choices when dining out.
Set up in 1995, Bath Ales now operates 11 pubs, bars and restaurants including The Hop Pole and The Salamander in Bath as well as the Graze restaurant next to Bath Spa railway station.
Its range of beers includes Barnsey, Dark Side, Wild Hare, Special Pale Ale and Ginger Hare as well as its flagship Gem bitter.
