Sustainability - Lakeside

Doing our bit

Creating a buzz

Our guests at Lakeside just can’t get enough of our honey bees, and now you don’t have to miss a thing. We’ve created a fun platform to keep you buzzing with updates about our busy little Lakeside bees – from their daily adventures to how they’re thriving.

Stay connected with the hive: check out the updates here and follow the buzz!

By embracing urban beekeeping, we’re changing the way people see city life while bringing a touch of nature’s magic to our community. Fly by The Nature Garden (next to Shop Mobility, by M&S) to say hello to the bees, and don’t forget to pick up a jar of our delicious Lakeside honey from the Centre Management Suite, on Level 3.

The Nature Garden at Lakeside

Have you seen The Nature Garden yet? Tucked away next to ShopMobility (by M&S), it’s a peaceful spot to pause, breathe and connect with the outdoors. It’s not just a place to relax – it’s also a living, breathing space full of purpose.

This is where our bees call home, crafting our very own Lakeside honey while playing a vital role in pollinating the plants that keep our ecosystem thriving.

Why it matters:

It’s a safe haven for local wildlife
Around 30% of our food relies on insect pollination
Healthy ecosystems = a more resilient food system
The garden helps reduce CO₂ and supports biodiversity
It’s built with recycled materials – including features from our Sustainable Maze (April 2024)
Created to inspire, educate and calm – The Nature Garden is one small way we’re making a big difference.

A-MAZE-ING sustainable fun

Back in April 2024, we brought sustainability to life with our very own Sustainable Maze – a hands-on, walk-through experience full of eco-friendly surprises at every turn.

From building your own terrarium to swapping old tees for fresh, sustainable threads, guests got stuck in and left inspired.

Visitors also powered up the fun on the Kinetic Bike – generating energy while getting a mini workout. And the ‘Did You Know?’ zone turned the maze into a learning journey, packed with surprising sustainability facts and an interactive quiz.

It was fun. It was informative. And judging by the reviews, it was an A-MAZE-ING hit!

Lakeside’s bat boxes

To support the local bat population around Alexandra Lake, we’ve installed four bat boxes to give these brilliant little creatures a safe place to roost and breed.

The lake is an important feeding and drinking spot for bats, so placing the boxes nearby – tucked into the trees – gives them the best chance to thrive. Next time you’re walking the lake path, keep an eye out.

Did you know?

The common pipistrelle is tiny enough to fit in a matchbox – but don’t underestimate it. These bats can eat up to 3,000 insects a night, often spotted darting around lamp posts at dusk.

What our stores

Are doing

Pull & Bear is giving pre-loved clothes a second life. Simply bring in the items you no longer wear and support their collaboration with the British Red Cross to make fashion more circular.

River Island is making fashion a force for good. From cutting single-use plastic to using more planet-friendly materials, it’s all part of their ‘Kindness Revolution’. You can also donate your old clothes through their take-back scheme in partnership with re-skinned.

Discover The Kind Society here.

H&M welcomes clothing and textiles from all brands, in any condition. Everything is reworn, reused or recycled – and if you’re a member, you’ll get points and a digital voucher when you donate in store.

Find out more here.

NIKE is on a mission to cut packaging waste. They encourage customers to bring reusable bags, or you can purchase a paper bag for 30p – with all profits supporting NIKE’s sustainability-focused non-profit partners.

Learn more here.

Primark’s clothing take-back scheme welcomes garments in any condition and from any brand. All profits go to UNICEF, helping make a difference with every donation.

Find out more here.

Recycle your empty perfume bottles at The Perfume Shop and enjoy 15% off your next purchase. Every returned bottle means a new tree planted – and with many fragrances now refillable, you can keep your favourite scent going for longer.

Learn more about their efforts here.

H Beauty is helping shape a more sustainable beauty industry. Bring in five or more empty products, sign up to MyBeauty, and your empties will be recycled as part of Harrods’ commitment to a greener future.

T&Cs apply.

Hotel Chocolat is reducing waste by cutting down on packaging and switching to once-a-week, plastic-free deliveries. Every team member is on board with the mission to bring down the brand’s carbon footprint and do things better.

Chipotle is keeping things clean and green with in-store recycling bins for paper, food waste and bottles – making it easier to reduce your impact while you dine.

M&S is making a big difference through its long-standing Shwopping partnership with Oxfam. Every item donated is resold, reused or recycled – and Sparks customers now get a reward every time they donate. Over 35 million items have already been collected, raising an estimated £23 million.

Find out more about Shwopping here.

Superdry is working with Oxfam to give your old clothes a new life. Their Give Back scheme links stores with local Oxfam shops to resell, reuse or recycle donated clothing – supporting a more sustainable approach to fashion.

Learn more about their sustainability goals here.

schuh’s Sell Your Soles scheme rewards customers with £5 off new shoes when they bring in wearable, pre-loved pairs. It’s helped plant over 26,000 trees through the World Land Trust so far – cool, right?

T&Cs apply. Vouchers are redeemable on full-price items over £25.

ASK Italian is baking sustainability into every pizza. Their dough is now made with 100% Wildfarmed flour – reducing carbon impact by 50% while helping restore biodiversity across British farms.

Read about ASK for Better here.

ebebek is going greener with sustainable, eco-friendly carrier bags – and refill stations for baby detergent are coming soon, making everyday shopping that little bit kinder to the planet.

Charles Tyrwhitt runs a shirt and suit donation scheme in partnership with the British Heart Foundation. Customers can bring old suits or just the jackets (from any brand) in-store and will get 20% off a new one. Customers can also bring in shirts and polos (from any brand) and receive £5 off each new shirt / polo they buy as a thank you.

Green Apple Environment Winner 2024

We’re proud to have won a Green Apple Award in 2024 – recognising our commitment to sustainability and the creation of our Nature Garden. What was once an unused space is now a thriving green area, built to support wellbeing and the environment.

The Nature Garden is a calm, open-air spot where you can step away from the hustle and bustle, breathe in some fresh air and take a moment for yourself. Whether you’re after a break or a bit of headspace, it’s the perfect place to pause and reconnect with nature.

Did you know?

LED Lighting

There is 98% LED lighting throughout the Lakeside estate, which includes selling space, service corridors, and
car parks.

The quay has solar panels

Lakeside has PV (Solar) panels installed on the Quay roof, allowing us to utilise the power generated for two of our multi-storey car parks.

We use sensors

Lakeside uses PIR sensors in 30% of service corridors and Lux level sensors throughout the mall and car parks to ensure lights activate only when needed.

Smart monitoring

Lakeside has BMS enabling smart monitoring of all mechanical equipment.

Only using the energy we need

We monitor and review all Energy consumption (gas, electricity & water) to ensure we only use what we need.

No waste to landfill

Fixtures, fittings, and items from empty units are upcycled or donated to charity, while 0% of waste goes to landfill—recyclables are processed, and the rest is incinerated for energy.

ev charging

EV charging stations are available in multiple car parks.

space for nature

Grass and shrub areas are left natural to encourage insect and wildlife habitats. Beehives by Car Park G and a Nature Garden enhance the site’s biodiversity.

We test lake water

Alexander Lake is tested quarterly to ensure a healthy habitat for over 20 bird species and 10 types of aquatic life.

Our allotment

There is a centre allotment in our service road to allow staff to grow vegetables, adding to the biodiversity of the site and turning concrete in to living, usable space.