Wedding venue Holne Park House located at the River Dart Country Park in Devon wins an ethical, sustainable and environmental award

Wedding venue Holne Park House located at the River Dart Country Park in Devon has been awarded Gold in the Ethical, Responsible and Sustainable Tourism Award and a Special Award for Energy Efficiency in the Visit Devon Tourism Awards 2019. The company has eco-friendly values at the core of its business and this environmental ethos has now been recognised nationally. In the same awards, the property also won Wedding Venue of the Year.

Located on the edge of Dartmoor at Ashburton, between Exeter and Plymouth, this beautiful house and private lawns are offered for exclusive-use weddings and are tucked away in 90 acres of gardens, lakes, rivers and woodland within the River Dart Country Park. Both River Dart and Holne Park House use the same energy sources and sustainable practices.

River Dart has actively taken steps to improve their own environmental impact and this is clearly something they are very proud of. A hydro dynamic screw was installed in 2007 and was the first of its kind in the UK, powering the park on average for eight to nine months of the year and it was a great starting point for implementing further sustainable practices throughout the business. With the addition of the biomass boiler and district heating scheme in 2010, solar pv scheme in 2011, and recycling and zero waste to landfill policy being utilised across the site, they take it very seriously. In more recent years, the business replaced standard LPG buggies used for travelling around the site with TE Gator Utility vehicles. The new machines have electric engines, zero emissions and a charger that automatically shuts off after reaching full charge. With these vehicles being used so often, River Dart felt it was vital to replace the petrol buggies with electric alternatives. 

Visitors not so fond of camping can stay in the B&B accommodation available at Holne Park House. A quaint on-site wedding and corporate venue giving guests a comfortable alternative to camping. Carrying on the eco theme, Clean Conscience recycling scheme toiletries are available in the bathrooms and are all part of River Dart’s efforts to improve sustainability and remove plastic bottles. The scheme works with River Dart to ensure that partially used soaps and toiletries are recovered, re-purposed and redistributed for the benefit of those most in need of hygiene. River Dart Country Park’s attitude towards being an active environmentally conscious tourism business was great to see in all areas. 

All of the elegant reception rooms and the pretty outdoor pavilion are licensed for weddings and there's a wide range of accommodation options available for wedding guests. The menu includes dishes made using freshly prepared, locally sourced dishes where possible served with award-winning customer service.

For further information and to book, call 01364 655 918, or visit https://holnepark.co.uk