Feeding by example

Phil Geary of the Atlantic at Portreath tells us how his family business is helping to keep their beloved beach clean.

A while ago, we met the Geary family, who had recently moved from Manchester to enjoy a new life by the sea at Portreath. When we last met Phil, a third generation fish fryer, his wife Marie and their three children, they were genuinely relishing their regular trips to the beach and quality time together as a family. So, we thought it time to pick up the story again, and are happy find their popular fish and chip restaurant thriving. Almost three years on since relocating, they’ve clearly settled in to their new community well, and are actively involved in looking after the location they love so much.

“It’s always heartwarming to see people take the initiative into their own hands, showing that together we can make a real difference…”

The worldwide war on plastic has been well-documented recently, and the Geary family have made it their mission to doing their bit on their patch, helping to keep Portreath tidy and environmentally friendly with several fantastic initiatives. The Gearys are proud supporters of Love Portreath, an initiative set up by residents to help respect the local environment, encouraging everything from the cleaning up of dog waste and littering, to opting for sustainable and non-harmful practices and packaging.

Phil tells us more about the steps the Atlantic is taking. “Our takeaway uses biodegradable boxes, wooden forks – not plastic – and paper bags. Again, in the restaurant, we have a no-plastic policy. We use biodegradable paper straws, and plant-based ice cream tubs, spoons and coffee cups, all of which are compostable. What’s more, we’ve built a recycling centre on the takeaway area, so all our packaging can be recycled properly. We’ve also installed a can crusher, so kids can crush their used cans before disposing them!”

It’s always heartwarming to see people take the initiative into their own hands, showing that together we can make a real difference – keep up the good work! So when you next pop in for your fish and chips, not only will you enjoy delicious, sustainably caught and expertly-fried fish, you’ll also be helping the environment too!