The White Swan in Gressenhall becomes first UK pub to earn Waterwise Checkmark
11th December 2025.
A community-owned pub in rural Norfolk has become the first public house to earn the Waterwise Checkmark, marking a step forward in bringing water efficiency into the heart of community life.
Operated by Gressenhall Community Enterprise Ltd, a Community Benefit Society, The White Swan has demonstrated that water-saving leadership can thrive in venues that serve as social hubs – not just offices or large commercial buildings. Their commitment shows how everyday spaces can drive meaningful behavioural change and help build a more water-efficient UK – and saving water in their own operations will also help to save energy and save money.
During the Checkmark assessment, The White Swan showcased a comprehensive and proactive approach to managing its water use. Measures implemented included: the installation of dual-flush toilets; smart metering to monitor real-time water use, identify unusual patterns, and prevent waste; water butts to capture rainwater for outdoor use; and a detailed action plan covering benchmarking, ongoing monitoring, leak prevention, kitchen water efficiency, as well as staff and customer engagement.
The work was led by volunteers from Gressenhall Community Enterprise in close partnership with Snug Pubs, the pub’s operator. Together, they carried out a full review of the building’s water use and set out immediate actions and longer-term sustainability goals.
Waterwise is excited to see the Checkmark expanding into public and community-owned venues – places where sustainable choices have great potential to influence everyday behaviour.
“Working with The White Swan has been a fantastic opportunity,” said Laura Berks, Projects and Training Manager at Waterwise. “It’s been great to collaborate with a community group whose premises are part of daily life. Expanding the Checkmark into pubs, accommodation, and other public venues is an important step. These are spaces that will reach people and inspire behaviour change in water efficiency. If you see your local pub taking action to save water, hopefully it naturally encourages you to do the same at home and in your workplace. This also shows how public operated spaces really care about their water usage, and it’s important that they have the opportunity to be recognised for this.”
The White Swan team is already rolling out internal communications and customer messaging to keep water efficiency front of mind, with further improvements planned throughout the next year.
“We’re absolutely delighted that The White Swan has become the first pub to receive the Waterwise Checkmark,” said George Woodbine, General Manager at The White Swan in Gressenhall. “As a community-run business, we want to show that sustainability and good stewardship can go hand-in-hand with running a welcoming village pub. This award recognises the team’s practical efforts to use water wisely every day, and we hope it inspires others to do the same.”
The White Swan’s achievement marks an exciting expansion of the Waterwise Checkmark scheme, and sets a strong precedent for how water stewardship can flourish in the very places people gather, relax, and connect.
“If you think your business premises is flying the flag for water efficiency, whether you’ve taken some key initial steps to use water wisely with further plans or are more established on your water efficiency journey, we want to hear from you,” says Laura.. “We’ll assess the measures the business has in place for water efficiency, including engagement , recognise what you’re doing well, and advise you on steps you can take to improve even further.”
Contact Laura for an informal chat about the Checkmark and how it could benefit your business: laura.berks@waterwise.yourbetasite.co.uk
