Griffon Forest

Griffon Forest Holiday Lodges is set within 1,000 acres of woodland and countryside on the Sandburn Estate, just outside York.

Our natural surroundings are at the heart of the Griffon Forest experience, and we are committed to protecting them for future generations. We continually look for ways to reduce our environmental impact, support wildlife, work with local businesses and contribute positively to our local community.

As part of the wider Sandburn Estate, many of our sustainability initiatives are shared with Sandburn Hall, helping us make improvements across the whole estate.

Green Awards

We are delighted to have achieved a Green Tourism Bronze Award, recognising the steps we are taking towards becoming a more sustainable business.

In September 2025, Sandburn Estate also received the Environment Award at the West & North Yorkshire Chamber of Commerce Raising the Bar Awards (Medium Business Category), recognising our continued work to reduce our carbon footprint, introduce sustainable practices and build a greener future.

We know sustainability is an ongoing journey and continue to look for practical ways to improve.

Local Food & Drink

Supporting local businesses and reducing food miles is important to us.

Our Reception Shop showcases a growing range of Yorkshire produce, including locally baked goods, fresh meat and pies from nearby suppliers, Yorkshire beers, wines supplied by York Wines, local honey when available and our own Sandburn Estate Dry Gin.

Guests can also visit Tykes Restaurant at Sandburn Hall, where local sourcing has been part of the restaurant’s approach since it opened in 2005. Menus regularly change with the seasons to make the most of local and regional produce.

We have also begun rearing our own beef on the Sandburn Estate, helping us move towards an Estate to Plate approach and further reduce food miles.

Our Sandburn Estate Dry Gin is produced in partnership with Yorkshire distillery Sloemotion using botanicals sustainably foraged from the estate.

Energy & Lower-Emission Operations

We continue to invest in renewable energy, energy efficiency and lower-emission ways of operating across Griffon Forest and the wider Sandburn Estate.

In April 2025, we invested in solar panels on the Griffon Forest reception and laundry building, working with Yorkshire-based renewable energy specialists Zenergy. The panels now generate, on average, approximately 50% of the electricity used within this area.

Our laundry is one of the highest-energy-use areas of Griffon Forest, so generating renewable electricity on site helps reduce our reliance on grid electricity while allowing us to maintain the standards our guests expect, including freshly laundered Griffon Forest towelling robes.

This practical investment reflects our approach to sustainability: reducing our environmental impact without compromising the quality, comfort or service we provide.

We are also steadily electrifying the vehicles and equipment used by our team. Our maintenance and housekeeping buggy fleet is now fully electric, with additional electric vehicles introduced as equipment is replaced. We currently have just one operational van remaining to be replaced, which we plan to change in 2027.

In 2026, we also invested in electric handheld gardening equipment for our grounds maintenance team, replacing petrol-powered equipment wherever practical. As well as reducing fuel use and emissions, electric equipment helps reduce noise around our woodland setting and guest accommodation.

Across the wider Sandburn Estate, a further 1,000 solar panels have been installed, generating renewable electricity for Sandburn Hall and other areas of the estate.

We have also replaced the majority of traditional lightbulbs with energy-efficient LED lighting, select energy-efficient appliances when replacements are required and continually monitor our energy use to identify opportunities for further reductions.

Reducing Plastic

We are working to reduce unnecessary single-use plastics across Griffon Forest and the wider estate.

Where possible, we choose reusable, refillable or recyclable alternatives and work with our suppliers to reduce packaging. Our refurbished Reception Shop has also enabled us to introduce more environmentally conscious ways of displaying and selling products, including dispensers and paper bags for selected items.

We will continue to review the products and packaging we use and look for practical alternatives wherever possible.

Recycling & Waste

We separate and recycle glass, plastic, paper, cardboard, food waste and tins across the business.

Our waste contractor processes food waste through anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, while waste that cannot be recycled is used to generate energy rather than being sent directly to landfill.

All Griffon Forest lodges now have a dedicated food-waste bin in the kitchen, making it easier for guests to recycle during their stay. We are also working towards introducing in early 2027 separate-compartment recycling bins within each lodge to make waste separation even simpler.

Woodland, Landscape & Wildlife

The woodland and wildlife surrounding our lodges are one of the things that make Griffon Forest so special, and protecting this environment is a key priority.

Across the Sandburn Estate we:

• Create and maintain wildflower meadows.
• Manage lakes and habitats for wildfowl and other wildlife.
• Leave areas of long grass and natural vegetation to encourage biodiversity.
• Create and manage woodland areas.
• Provide bird and owl boxes and habitats for insects.
• Operate under a woodland management plan.
• Encourage guests to respect wildlife and follow our countryside guidance when exploring the estate.

A Countryside Stewardship Agreement also protects areas of lowland meadow and pasture across the estate, supporting species including skylark, curlew, brown hare and marbled white butterfly.

Our approach is to carefully manage the estate while allowing parts of the landscape to remain naturally wild, providing valuable habitats for the wildlife that lives alongside us.

Supporting Our Community

We are proud to be part of our local community and support local clubs, charities, producers and organisations wherever possible.

Across the Sandburn Estate, we support organisations including City of York Hockey Club and Sheriff Hutton Bridge Cricket Club, alongside regular charity fundraising, sponsorship and raffle donations.

Our Captain’s Charity for 2026 is St Leonard’s Hospice, and the estate has also supported St Leonard’s Hospice and Mesothelioma UK through fundraising over the past year.

Supporting local employment and independent Yorkshire businesses is also an important part of our commitment to the community.

Local Suppliers & Long-Term Relationships

Wherever practical, we choose local businesses and suppliers, helping to reduce our supply-chain impact while supporting employment and businesses within our region.

Many of these relationships have developed over decades. For example, local company BMS first worked with Mike Hogg during his housebuilding years. Today, the second generation of their family business continues that relationship, installing kitchens and bathrooms as we refurbish and invest in our lodges.

We work with our suppliers to reduce unnecessary packaging and deliveries and encourage responsible environmental practices throughout our supply chain.

A Sustainable Business for the Future

Griffon Forest has remained independently owned and family-operated since opening with just six lodges in 1998. This allows us to take a long-term view, making decisions around our guests, our team, our environment and the future of the business.

We continually reinvest in Griffon Forest, from lodge refurbishments and staff development to new technology, renewable energy, electric vehicles, energy efficiency and the development of EV charging.

For us, sustainability is about more than reducing energy consumption. It means protecting our woodland setting, supporting local employment and suppliers, investing in our people and making responsible long-term decisions.

Our aim is to ensure Griffon Forest remains a successful and sustainable business that can continue welcoming guests and caring for its surroundings for generations to come.

Looking Ahead

Sustainability is an ongoing process rather than a finished project.

We will continue to review how we use energy and resources, reduce waste, protect our woodland and wildlife, support local businesses and invest in improvements that help make Griffon Forest and the wider Sandburn Estate more sustainable.

Reviewed: August 2026

This policy will be reviewed regularly to assess our progress and ensure our approach continues to develop.