Love Albert Road, now love their bags

10/01/2008

Albert Road in Southsea is leading the way in Portsmouth by using eco-friendly reusable bags instead of plastic ones.

Hessian bags will be on sale along Albert Road to encourage shoppers to reject plastic bags - which are disposed of in landfill sites and take many decades to decompose - in favour of the new sustainable alternative.

Easy to use and colourful, the bags will feature the 'Love Albert Road' motif and can be used time and time again.

Cllr Mike Hancock, Executive member for Planning, Regeneration and Economic Development said: "There are many benefits to using these new hessian bags - they will last a long time and their soft handles don't hurt your fingers when the bag is full. Convenient and easy to use, they can be folded up and kept in handbags for when you need them. Shops along Albert Road will be strongly urging their customers to think twice before accepting a plastic bag.

"We hope they will catch on with the shoppers of Albert Road as well as the whole of the city."

Bags will be sold throughout outlets along Albert Road for £2 each. £1 goes towards paying for the cost of the bag, 50p toward ARTA sculpture fund and 50p towards love Albert Road Day Festival in September 2008.