THE IMPORTANT BIT
We are moving away from using single-use disposable cups in our Yurt. We believe this is a better way to manage the waste created by cardboard and recyclable cups, although we will still be using some recyclable cardboard cups in our Portree shop. In our Yurt, instead, we are now offering takeaway coffee in a reusable rent-a-cup or your own cup. If you are sitting in, hot drinks are served in our own ceramic cups.
If you already own a reusable cup and want to use it, you are welcome to, of course. Place your order and give us your (preferably clean and dry) cup and we’ll make your hot drinks into it as we usually do.
How it works
If you don’t have a reusable cup and want a takeaway hot drink
You will need to pay £3 to use one of our reusable cups. It can be yours to keep or you can keep bringing it back to the Yurt on future visits.
Simply place your order as usual, say you need a takeaway cup, and we will make your drink into our branded reusable cup. You can either:
- return your cup with its lid for a refund of £3,
- bring the cup back on your next visit and get a clean reusable cup,
- keep the cup for your own use.
If you have one of our reusable cups already
Return your Yurt reusable cup when you place your next order and we will make your coffee into a clean one. The cup and lid you return to us will go through our dishwasher and be re-used in the future, so you don't even have to wash it! You can do this ad infinitum. You can hand the cup (with lid and in good condition) you have back back into the Yurt and get a £3 refund at any time.
How the £3 cost works:
A few things to remember about returning a cup for a return of your £3 payment:
- By cup we mean cup + lid.
- If you return the reusable cup you will receive £3 back on the proviso it is in good usable condition.
- For UK based cards refunds are usually issued within 5 working days.
Frequently asked questions
Where are the cups from?
Our cups are made in France, the same company providing sustainable drinkware for the Olympic Games, and are from single source recycled plastic.
Why is the Yurt doing this?
Because it’s the right thing for us to do. Single use is really a bit of an anachronism and not needed where there is a viable alternative. We believe the reusable cup is better option than a paper cup and minimises issues with compostability and recycling, particularly in our more challenging location.
Can I use the cup I already have?
You can absolutely continue to use the cup you already have.
Will you still make coffee in ceramic?
Yes, we will still be using ceramic cups for hot drinks to stay in the Yurt.
How are you washing them?
Through our dishwasher / sanitiser in the same way we wash all the crockery.
Do I get a discount for using a reusable or the rent-a-cup?
No.
Can I get a discount for multiple cups or no lids?
No discounts, sorry. Please take the lid back, you’ll need it for a full return of your £3. It is also useful to seal the cup to avoid dribbles or spills.
I found one of your reusable cups! Can I return it for £3 even though I didn’t pay the deposit?
Yes, any Yurt reusable cup can be returned to us, and we will pay the bearer the full £3 if the cup is in good reusable condition. We reserve the right to reduce the refund amount if the cup is damaged.
The cup had an accident or was the surface for my tag or child’s art – will you still take it back?
Depending on how the cup is returned to us we may reduce the refund amount. It needs to be able to be cleaned and given to another customer.
What happens to the cups at the end of their life?
If you think your cup is no longer in good enough condition to use, please still return it to us. We will offer a partial refund based on the condition of the cup. The manufacturers work hard on ensuring a long lifecycle and full reusability.
How long do I have to return the cup?
You don’t ever have to return the cup if you don’t want to, so you have as long as you like. We know that things can change so if we need to do a cup amnesty at some time in the future, we will.
Can you make my coffee into a paper cup?
We are going through a trial period of not offering paper cups at all. Unless you have your own cup for takeaways, we will offer either reusable cups or ceramic cups for drinking in.
