THE Walnut Tree Hotel in North Petherton has shown it has taken going green seriously by winning a top green tourism award.

Hotel staff were presented with a silver Green Tourism Business Award for their efforts by improving the hotel’s green credentials and reducing its carbon footprint.

A green team, linen napkins, recycling and sourcing local food are just some of the steps taken to ensure the Walnut Tree’s impact on the environment is as low as possible.

The recent improvements to the hotel’s green policy have been led by duty manager Beth Miller who explained: “At the Walnut Tree Hotel, we are committed to implementing green hotel policies to help sustain and protect the environment.

“We recognise the impact our hotel has on the environment and so through our green initiatives and working together as a team, we are contributing to making a cleaner and safer environment.”

Businesses are assessed by an external advisor against a rigorous set of criteria including energy and water efficiency, waste management and biodiversity, proving they are actively engaged in reducing the negative environmental and social impacts of their operations.