We’ve got some very exciting news to share.
Beer No Evil has been named as one of the UK’s Green Growth 100, an initiative run by Small Business Britain in partnership with BT. In short, it celebrates small businesses across the UK that are using sustainability as a real driver of growth – and we’re honestly chuffed to be part of it.
When we opened Beer No Evil back in 2018, Gemma and I didn’t set out to win awards. We just wanted to create a place that felt welcoming, served brilliant drinks, and tried to do the right thing. Sustainability wasn’t a marketing idea – it was (and still is) part of who we are.
Sustainability from day one
The clue’s in the name...
From the start, we’ve tried to reduce waste and make more responsible choices wherever we can. That’s why we offer refillable beer flagons and wine refills, reuse as much packaging as possible, and make sure tricky items like KeyKegs are properly returned and recycled. We avoid plastic wherever we can, use sustainable consumables, and have moved fully to LED lighting, with plans to switch to renewable energy and more efficient heating and chilling systems as contracts allow. And we'd also love to start delivery with electric cargo bikes.
Not all of this is perfect, and we’re always learning, but we’ve always believed that small changes add up – especially when lots of people get involved.
Community really matters to us
Being part of the Worthing community is huge for us, and sustainability goes hand in hand with that, especially being close to the beach.
Our refill model means people come back regularly, which reduces single-use packaging and keeps great drinks affordable. Our planet-friendly wine range has grown massively as more customers actively look for wines with a story and values behind them – and it’s been amazing to see how much that resonates.
Then there are our beach cleans. What started as a simple idea has turned into something we’re really proud of. They bring people together, help look after our local environment, and have even transformed what used to be a very quiet part of the trading week into something positive and busy. Proof that doing good can genuinely be good for business too.
What this recognition means to us
Being named in the Green Growth 100 feels like a real moment to stop and reflect. Running a small independent business isn’t always easy, and choosing sustainability sometimes feels like the harder path. This recognition tells us that it’s worth it.
As a small business, it’s easy to think awards like this are for bigger companies with bigger budgets. So to be recognised alongside some incredible businesses from across the UK is genuinely special.
Or, as I put it when we heard the news:
“As a small business, it can be hard to prioritise the environment over profit, but we’ve made it core to Beer No Evil’s ethos – and proved it can attract customers and loyalty within our community.”
What’s next?
As part of the Green Growth 100, we’ll be heading to the awards event hosted by BT in March 2026, and we’ll also be in the running for the Green Growth Awards, which include a £5,000 grant to help businesses scale their sustainability ambitions. We hope to use this to upgrade and service chilling equipment and potentially launch a local delivery service by elecric bike.
Whatever happens, this has given us even more motivation to keep improving – working more closely with sustainability-focused suppliers, expanding our refill options, improving energy efficiency, and running more events that bring people together around responsible drinking and community.
Thank you
None of this happens without the people who support us. Every refill, every bottle brought back, every beach clean, and every chat at the bar about doing things better – it all adds up.
So thank you for being part of it. This one really does belong to all of us.
Gareth (and Gemma)