Hemsby Community Cup

Hemsby is a popular, family friendly, seaside resort on the East Coast of England boasting long sandy beaches and luxury holiday rentals. Visitors have plenty of options to keep themselves entertained including, amusement arcades, bars, children’s play areas, go-karting, gift shops, food outlets, and a funfair.  

Leading resort for eco-tourism 

Despite Hemsby’s popularity and excellent offering, it aspires to be a leading coastal resort for the quickly expanding ‘eco-tourism’ industry, offering a view into a different side of Hemsby and surrounding areas. Winterton Dunes Nature Reserve is just up the coast and is a birdwatchers’ delight and a haven for wildlife with tern and seal colonies in residence, along with the rare Natterjack toad. More information.    

A reusable cup 

FACET has built a relationship with local councillor for East Fleg Ward, James Bensly, who has been consistently proactive since the beginning of the project and open to ideas on how to support local businesses to implement circular solutions. One solution to come out of discussions with Cllr Bensly and local businesses, is a reusable cup pilot known as the “Hemsby Cup”. A coalition of businesses who offer takeaway drinks have agreed to participate in a deposit-return scheme where they will distribute the reusable cups, and customers will be able to drop off the cups at one of the participating businesses for cleaning and reuse.   

Cllr Bensly said "The FACET community cup scheme for Hemsby is exactly what the tourism industry and local economy needs, a tool to help the visitors and local community in a green circular economy, which we hope to deliver. This is a very brave idea at this challenging time for all. Will it work? We don’t know yet, but it’s very refreshing, new, and bold. This is exactly what GYBC are after and this can and will evolve over time. We all just have to keep pushing in the same direction, which I believe we can. The officers deserve great credit for getting this off the ground during this unprecedented time and I’m forever grateful in being a small part of this exciting scheme".    

“The FACET community cup scheme for Hemsby is exactly what the tourism industry and local economy needs, a tool to help the visitors and local community in a green circular economy.” 

What is the Hemsby Cup?  

The Hemsby Cup is a reusable cup designed to put a stop to single use disposable takeaway cups by adopting a circular deposit return system. The FACET project is funding the purchase of the reusable cups and lids, so the scheme is free for businesses to participate.   

Reuse above recycle 

Many businesses are making an effort to help the environment by spending more money on paper or biodegradable cups. However, biodegradable cups need to be sent to special facilities to get composted which are not available in Norfolk. Paper cups are often too contaminated to be recycled or contain a wax lining which makes them unable to be recycled. The best way to become sustainable is to use reusable cups like the Hemsby Cup, a deposit scheme that costs customers nothing to make positive changes for the environment.  

• 2.5 billion coffee cups are used and thrown away each year in the UK.  
• less than 1 in 400 - just 0.25% - are recycled.  
• Around 500,000 cups are littered every day.  

How does it work?  

Customers who are ordering takeaway drinks will be offered the Hemsby Cup. They will provide a £2 deposit.  The Customer simply drinks their drink, returns the cup to any participating café and is refunded their £2. The cup is thorough washed, ready to be used again.   

How do I join?  

Want to join in the Hemsby Cup Community? Contact benjamin.gulliver@great-yarmouth.gov.uk to express your interest. More information on Great Yarmouth’s coastal resorts can be found on Visit Great Yarmouth.