19 May 2009

The recycled glass icon, designed specifically for serving tap water in the capital's bars, eateries and businesses, was the winning design - by industrial designer Neil Barron - in the 'Carafe for London' competition staged last year by Thames Water as part of its London On Tap campaign.

Tap Top, with its four non-drip pouring spouts forming a traditional tap head shape, can be ordered on the London On Tap website and can be branded with any organisations' logo.

Thames Water's Chief Executive David Owens said:

"Through London On Tap we wanted to celebrate the world-leading quality of London's drinking water by making it more accessible to people when they're out for a meal or a drink. To do that we needed a stylish, sustainable vessel that reflected the calibre of its contents - and that's exactly what Neil gave us in Tap Top".

"It's fantastic that Londoners now recognise they have a choice about what they drink. This summer the best drinking water in Britain will be served up, fittingly, in the country’s trendiest carafe."

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson who supports the campaign said:

"I am delighted that the new 'London On Tap' carafe is now available. This campaign has been a great success, not only has it highlighted the talent of the designers we have here in the capital, but Londoners can feel empowered to ask for London's finest tap water rather than bottled varieties. This reduces waste and helps to cut our emissions in the capital."

Each carafe, produced and hand finished in the South East by Nazeing Glass, costs just £10 (excl VAT and delivery), a third of what it could sell for - of which £1 will be donated to the charity WaterAid. Tap Tops will be available immediately in clear and frosted with blue becoming an option from 1 July and green from September. 

Aldo Zilli, who was the first restaurateur to receive his order of carafes from designer Neil Barron and Rosie Boycott, Chair of London Food, said:

"Environmental issues are something extremely close to my heart and I was shocked to hear about the wasteful nature of the bottled water industry. I fully support efforts to make the restaurant industry kinder to the planet and have really enjoyed being involved in the 'London On Tap' initiative. 

"It is important to enthuse restaurateurs and diners about the great tap water that we have in this City and to realise that there is no stigma involved in choosing it over bottled water. I am looking forward to serving it to customers at my restaurants Zilli Fish and Signor Zilli in Tap Top".

Rosie Boycott, Chair of London Food said:

"I am pleased to be presenting the first order of carafes to Aldo Zilli today and I would urge other restaurateurs to show their green credentials and invest in Tap Top carafes for their restaurants and bars. By drinking tap water Londoners are helping to reduce waste, cutting emissions and saving themselves some cash".

The London On Tap campaign was launched in February 2008, to promote the serving, and consumption of London's tap water in its thousands of restaurants, bars and hotels. Since then, sales of bottled water in the UK have plummeted with more consumers Research commissioned by international charity, WaterAid, revealed (March 2009) that tap water is the preferred choice for 63% of people when they dine out. switching to tap water as the greener choice.

The campaign has garnered support from celebrity chefs, environmental groups, businesses and even the House of Lords. Many London restaurants and organisations have already registered interest in the carafe.

Thames Water will be giving the first ten thousand carafes to organisations, deserving causes and VIPs across the city including the Queen and the Prime Minister Gordon Brown, as part of the company's Ten-for-Ten programme.