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Belfast venues to trial first single-use plastic cup ban

Belfast’s entertainment venues will be running a trial that will see single-use plastic cups temporarily banned at gigs and events in 2025.  

Plastic pint cups single use

It’s set to be the first multi-venue scheme of this kind in the UK and Ireland. 

The Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall, The SSE Arena, Oh Yeah Centre, Black Box, Voodoo and The MAC have all invested in the scheme and will introduce reusable cups over the coming months. Other venues are lined up to join the next phase of the citywide rollout. 

The 12-month pilot has been organised by the Venue Sustainability Forum (VSF).  

Iain Bell, acting chief executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, said: “The task force behind this brilliant new initiative, the Venue Sustainability Forum, are setting out to tackle one of the biggest sustainability challenges affecting us all – single-use plastic. 

“The switch from glass to plastic remains an important health and safety concern for gigs and entertainment venues, so this is a very positive step towards a solution which addresses both safety and sustainability.” 

Events company North Down Marquees will deliver the reusable cups to the venues and pick up used ones to be washed in a central washing facility in Carryduff, before being redistributed again. 

The drive aims to remove two million single-use plastic cups from nights out in Belfast and eliminate 40 tonnes of plastic waste annually. 

The SSE Arena will be the first to make the switch to a reusable cup system in mid-January. 

Dermot McGinn, group head of food and beverage at The Odyssey Trust, said:“The SSE Arena, Belfast is proud to be the first venue involved in this trial to implement reusable cups.  

“As Northern Ireland’s premier entertainment destination, we are committed to providing customers with the best experience every time while also minimising our environmental impact wherever possible.  

“We are pleased to work alongside other forward-thinking venues to tackle single-use plastic waste and support a more sustainable future for entertainment in Northern Ireland.” 

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