THE National Trust café in Boscastle is the first of the Trust’s outlets to trial a reusable cup scheme, offering customers a 25p discount on their drink if they bring their own cup.

Ian Kemp, National Trust general manager for North Cornwall, said: “The National Trust café in Boscastle is offering a 25p discount for any of our visitors who bring their own cup or purchase one of their reusable bamboo cups. This builds on a decision taken a few weeks ago to end the sale of water in single use plastic bottles in this popular north Cornwall café. Instead, visitors are offered free water to those who bring a refillable water bottle. Although only a trial at this stage, we are hoping this north Cornwall offer will be rolled out further if popular.

“These decisions have been prompted in part by heightened awareness amongst our staff and volunteers of the problem of discarded plastics on local beaches. As a result of the litter picking work they do, they remove thousands of plastic items every year and are very keen to see a reduction in the amount of waste plastic reaching our beaches in any way they can. But it is also a response to the growing desire amongst our customers to avoid products sold in single use plastic containers.”