Belfast's SSE Arena to charge extra £1 in move to reusable cups

Visitors to the SSE Arena in Belfast will have to pay an extra £1 for their first drink as part of a move towards reusable plastic cups.

The charge is not refundable and the arena's operators said it would be used to pay for transporting the cups to be cleaned at "a new state-of-the-art washing facility" in Carryduff.

They described it as "essential to cover operational costs" as it switched from single-use cups to reusable ones.

The arena is one of seven Belfast venues piloting a scheme to remove single-use plastic cups at gigs and events in 2025.

Two other venues involved in the pilot - the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall - said they would not be charging a levy.

Belfast Giants fan Nicola Jones, who helps run Teal Empire - an unofficial supporters group - said she saw no upside for people who use the arena.

"I understand the need to create a greener environment. However, I don't understand why we have to effectively pay for the trial of the system and paying for the recycling policy," she said.

"There is no benefit in taking the cups back. Where is the benefit to me? It's just additional cost."

Ms Jones said she had been to other venues in England where the charge was refunded.

"People were motivated to clear and return the cups or take them home to wash and bring back at another time," she said.

"Why is that not an option?"

Some venues, including the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham and Edgbaston Stadium in Birmingham, charge £1 per cup as a deposit, which customers can reclaim when they return it.

The Ovo Hydro in Glasgow used to operate the same scheme but has now scrapped the £1 charge, saying it wanted to "streamline the process".

When visitors to the SSE purchase their first drink they will receive it in a reusable cup and will pay a £1 levy.

The purchased cup can then be exchanged for a fresh cup for each subsequent drink, without the need to pay the levy again.

Cups must be returned it to a designated collection point in the arena at the end of the event.

A spokesperson for the SSE Arena said the £1 levy was "essential to cover operational costs, including cleaning, sanitising, and transporting cups to a specialist washing facility in Carryduff".

They added the SSE had been exploring the scheme since 2018, but had "lacked access to a local wash plant, making it unviable until now".

"The £1 levy was introduced as a transparent approach to funding the scheme," the spokesperson added.

"Any surplus from the levy will support the Odyssey Trust's charitable and green initiatives, reinforcing our commitment to sustainability."

A spokesperson for the Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, two venues which will charging a levy, told BBC News NI they were "committed to this important move and have made a significant investment in this initiative as a business".

"We will be trying to mitigate the additional operating costs through savings in other areas across the business," a spokesperson said.

The 12-month pilot to remove single-use plastic cups is being driven by the Venue Sustainability Forum and supported by Visit Belfast.

The Oh Yeah Centre, Black Box, Voodoo and The MAC are the other venues involved.

They will team up with North Down Marquees, who will deliver reusable cups to venues, pick up used ones, which will be washed in a central washing facility, and redistributed.