Belfast Venues Set to Eliminate Single Use Plastic Cups in UK and Ireland First

Belfast’s entertainment venues have joined forces in a drive to eliminate single use plastic cups at gigs and events in 2025.

The move aims to remove 2 million single use plastic cups from nights out in Belfast and eliminate 40 tons of plastic waste annually.

It’s set to be the first multi-venue scheme of this kind in the UK and Ireland.

The Waterfront Hall, Ulster Hall, The SSE Arena, Oh Yeah Centre, Black Box, Voodoo and The MAC have all invested in the scheme and will introduce reusable cups over the coming months. Other venues are lined up to join the next phase of the citywide rollout.

The 12-month pilot is being driven by the Venue Sustainability Forum (VSF), chaired by Wilton Farrelly, Non-Executive Director of Belfast Waterfront and Ulster Hall Ltd and supported by Visit Belfast.

Iain Bell, Acting Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall said, “The task force behind this brilliant new initiative, the Venue Sustainability Forum, are setting out to tackle one of the biggest sustainability challenges affecting us all – single use plastic.

“The switch from glass to plastic remains an important health and safety concern for gigs and entertainment venues, so this is a very positive step towards a solution which addresses both safety and sustainability.”

The participating organisations will partner with North Down Marquees, who will deliver the reusable cups to the venues and pick up used ones, which will be washed in a central washing facility in Carryduff, before being redistributed again.

The SSE Arena will be the first participating venue to implement the use of reusable cups, with the scheme coming into effect from mid-January.

Dermot McGinn, Group Head of Food and Beverage at The Odyssey Trust, said: “The SSE Arena, Belfast is proud to be the first venue involved in this trial to implement reusable cups. As Northern Ireland’s premier entertainment destination, we are committed to providing customers with the best experience every time while also minimising our environmental impact wherever possible. We are pleased to work alongside other forward-thinking venues to tackle single-use plastic waste and support a more sustainable future for entertainment in Northern Ireland.”

Charlotte Dryden, CEO of the Oh Yeah Centre said, “Oh Yeah is delighted to be involved in the Belfast Reusable Cup initiative. As a grassroots music venue, sustainability is at the top of not just our organisation's agenda but also our community's agenda. This reduction in single use plastic is a brilliant success for venues and Belfast as a city.” 

Kathryn McShane, Director of the Black Box said, “The joint effort in bringing Belfast's reusable cup scheme for venues has been amazing. We've never liked using single use cups for our standing events at The Black Box, and have been trying to find an alternative for the last number of years, but until now there hasn't been another option that's feasible for us. The positive impact of the reusable cup scheme for The Black Box and for other venues in the City will be huge. It will almost eradicate our need to use any single use plastics in the venue, will drastically reduce our waste and allow our audiences to make more sustainable choices.”

Emmett Ross, Facilities Manager at The Mac said, “At the MAC, we are passionate about implementing our artistic and cultural activities as sustainably as possible. In fact, our organisational focus for 25/26 will be 'Climate in Action', meaning this is a perfect time for us to take part in the Belfast Reusable Cup Pilot. We are very proud to be a part of the collaborative group of organisations bringing this scheme to life, and we believe this city-wide initiative shows what can be achieved when organisations have a joint ambition to make a positive change for the future."

Alistair McIlveen of North Down Marquees said, “North Down Marquees are thrilled to be on the team that’s helping deliver a SUP (Single Use Plastic) Free Belfast!”

Jac Callan, Senior Manager of Sustainability and Impact at Visit Belfast, said, “Visit Belfast is delighted to welcome this innovative initiative and to see a diverse range of venues - from grassroots music venues to large arenas - investing in solutions to reduce the events industry’s environmental impact. This collaborative approach not only helps Belfast remain competitive as an events destination but also plays a pivotal role in reducing single use plastics and driving meaningful environmental change.”