Twickenham pub temporarily changes name to protect local wildlife

In a remarkable initiative to protect the local swan population, a pub in Twickenham temporarily changed its name to The Poisoned Swan, shedding light on the environmental hazards posed by cigarette butts.

Situated near the Thames, The White Swan pub has always enjoyed a picturesque location, but recent revelations about littering have spurred its management into action.

Pub manager Kevin O’Callaghan described the motivation behind the name change, stating, “It’s more personal to us – we’re on the river, we see the swans every day.” The decision was made after discovering that smokers were carelessly tossing their cigarette butts down drains, inadvertently polluting local waterways.

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The campaign garnered the support of actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, who is no stranger to the issue himself. Having faced fines for similar behavior in the past, Vegas joined the effort to raise awareness. “I thought I was keeping the streets clean, I thought I was doing the right thing,” he admitted, reflecting on his past actions. “I hold my hands up.”

The initiative was supported by the charity Keep Britain Tidy, which aims to educate the public about the detrimental impact of cigarette waste on wildlife. Mr. O’Callaghan emphasized the importance of awareness, stating, “I think it is a big issue because people, especially smokers, they don’t really understand what they’re doing wrong… they just think they’re trying to be helpful.”

Despite the rise in vaping, O’Callaghan expressed concern over the persistent problem of littered cigarette butts, noting, “If I go outside my pub today there will be four or five cigarette butts around the drain, so it is still a big problem.” He urged smokers to find the nearest bin, emphasizing the need for greater public education.

The campaign also highlights alarming statistics from Keep Britain Tidy, revealing that individual drains can collect as many as 5,000 cigarette butts annually. A single butt can contaminate up to 1,000 liters (220 gallons) of water, posing a significant threat to local ecosystems. Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton OBE stated, “Cigarette butts are full of plastic, they’re full of toxic chemicals, and when they go down the drain they end up in our canals, in our rivers and on our beaches.”

With increased awareness and community support, O’Callaghan hopes to inspire other riverside pubs to take similar action. “We’d encourage any other pub, especially riverside pubs, to do the same thing,” he added, highlighting a collective responsibility to protect the natural environment.