A family-run hotel has beaten off competition from major chains to win a top environmental award.

BBC Breakfast News presenter Natasha Kaplinksy presented The Silverdale Hotel in Sutton Park Road, Seaford, with top prize at the recent South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) Sustainable Business Awards for the South-East 2003.

The hotel impressed the judges with the range of eco-friendly intiatives its owners Ted and Gilly Cowdrey have introduced since opening in 1992.

Mr Cowdrey said: "When we started our hotel, our aim to conserve energy was triggered not just by ecological ideals but by a need to conserve money."

The couple have cut lighting energy consumption by 76 per cent with the use of compact fluorescent lamps and reduced hot water costs by 20 per cent by installing a solar water heating system.

They are currently looking into putting up a wind turbine to produce further energy on site.

They recycle their newspapers, magazines, aluminium and tin cans, plastic and glass while turning organic waste, such as food scraps, into compost for the garden.

The couple buy food from local suppliers wherever possible and serve only English wines because they don't like the idea of wine having to be flown thousands of miles around the world to reach them.

They also promote sustainable transport and tourism, encouraging guests to bus, bike or walk to visit local attractions or at least use cars as economically as possible.

Wednesday December 17, 2003