Hull’s community-owned pub joins Oh Yes! campaign

Hull’s community-owned pub The New Clarence has coupled pints with the planet by joining the region’s Oh Yes! Net Zero campaign.

The New Clarence recently re-opened its doors to the public, having closed in 2023 before being saved by a community-led campaign.

Pints are being pulled again in Charles Street, Hull, after £250,000 was raised through the sale of public shares to revive The New Clarence.

With a commitment to sustainability and sourcing local produce across both its food and drinks menu, The New Clarence has become the latest organisation to join Oh Yes! Net Zero.

Oh Yes! has more than 170 active members across Hull, East Yorkshire and the Humber region, all totally committed to sustainability and reducing their carbon footprint.

Dr Grace Chapman, Oh Yes! Net Zero’s Climate Changemakers Programme Lead, with The New Clarence’s Manager Jamie Reading. Credit: R&R Studio.

Simon Berry is the Chairman of The Hull Community Pub Society, which successfully campaigned for The New Clarence to become an asset of community value.

He said: “We want to be seen as a pub and a business which is doing the right things, for the right reasons, and sustainability is an important part of that.

“First and foremost, we are a pub, and we need to make sure we are operating as a viable business. That is crucial. But on top of that, we want to look at the ways we are doing things, and how we can be more sustainable.

“We joined Oh Yes! Net Zero for the support and expertise its members can provide. We’ve made some good progress already, but we know there’s a lot more we can do.”

The New Clarence is looking at recovering heat from its refuge area, specifically from plant equipment, and using it to warm the pub and kitchen spaces in the colder winter months.

The pub has installed energy-efficient LED lighting throughout the building, and is also exploring the use of a sustainable temperature control system in its function room.

Hull’s community-owned pub, The New Clarence, has joined the city’s Oh Yes! campaign. Credit: R&R Studio.

Much of the equipment inside the pub is pre-loved, having been recovered from other pubs or businesses which have closed, saving items from landfill and giving them a second home.

Beers and food produce are sourced as locally as possible, with a commitment to Yorkshire-based suppliers, and The New Clarence is looking at ways to optimise deliveries to reduce the number of vehicles on the road.

After joining Oh Yes! Net Zero, The Hull Community Pub Society’s Secretary Catherine Murray signed up for a Carbon Clinic workshop delivered by local sustainability consultancy BACB Renewables.

The fully-funded workshops help Oh Yes! members measure and understand their scope one, two and three carbon footprint, and develop an outline reduction plan to reduce their emissions.

The workshops are tailored to each organisation, and help set achievable, realistic goals to adopt sustainable ways of working.

Catherine said: “The Carbon Clinic workshop broke things down into relatable, bitesize chunks, helping me better understand the pub’s carbon footprint and simple steps we can take to reduce it.

The New Clarence pub in Hull has coupled pints with the planet by joining the region’s Oh Yes! campaign. Credit: R&R Studio.

“The team at BACB Renewables are experts in sustainability. They presented everything so clearly, and despite feeling a bit overwhelmed going into the session, I left with some clear ideas and actions that we can take.

“The workshops are a fantastic resource for local businesses. If you’re looking to reduce your carbon footprint, and at the same time save money on bills, then I fully recommend you sign up!”

The New Clarence has chosen a 100 per cent renewable energy tariff with Octopus Energy, and is in the early stages of considering rooftop solar panels to generate green electricity.

Throughout the restoration of the pub, The New Clarence has worked with local contractors, reducing transport miles, and supporting the region’s economy.

The New Clarence recently re-opened its doors to the public, having closed in 2023 before being saved by a community-led campaign. Credit: R&R Studio

Dr Grace Chapman, Oh Yes! Net Zero’s Climate Changemakers Programme Lead, said: “We’re delighted to welcome The New Clarence as one of our newest Oh Yes! members.

“It highlights the diversity of our membership, and the breadth of organisations which are making strong sustainable progress and seeing real business benefits.

“We loved following the story of The New Clarence as it re-opened, bringing a much-loved community asset back into use. When you couple that with joining Oh Yes!, we think that’s well worth raising a toast to!”

As the pub welcomes in a new era, and customers back through its doors, The New Clarence is focused on playing its part for the planet.

·        To find out more about Oh Yes! Net Zero’s progress, read its Year Three Report online at www.ohyesnetzero.uk/yearly-report-2025.