'The place is spotless': Cork business offering coffee in exchange for rubbish clean-up

The Fish Basket Restaurant on Long Strand Beach, Owenahincha has been doing their bit for their local area and the environment.

They run a promotion where patrons can take a bucket and a litter picker and collect rubbish left on the beach, and get a free coffee for their efforts when they return the bucket of litter to the restaurant.

Peter Shanahan, who owns the Fish Basket with his wife Elaine, explained that they started the initiative to try and keep the place clean.

“We’re the only business on Long Strand so we feel very responsible for the area, we’re out every other day litter picking from the car park.

“One day I drenched this idea up and it worked a treat – there’s a good community spirit and Tidy Towns group around, and the idea has gone down brilliantly – the place is spotless,” he said.

He explained that Teddy Brown, their local litter warden, came on board too, saying “he collects the litter from us, the lads come along in their truck every Friday and Teddy has been very supportive, he gave us bags and litter pickers at the start.” 

Keeping the area clean and doing their bit for the environment are very important to the Fish Basket, who use all compostable packaging, Peter explained, adding “it’s no skin off our back for the sake of a few free coffees.”