Environmental concerns have led one of Britain's biggest pub chains to outlaw the ubiquitous plastic straw.

JD Wetherspoon has announced it will be banning plastic straws from all of its UK and Irish pubs - approximately 900 of them - by January 2018.

The chain, which runs Huddersfield pubs The Lord Wilson and The Cherry Tree, will be replacing the non-recyclable plastic straws with biodegradable paper equivalents.

In a bid to reduce waste in the interim Wetherspoon will no longer be automatically providing plastic straws with their drinks.

So if you want one with your vodka and coke or your gin and tonic you'll have to ask for one - or think about the environment and drink it straight from the glass.

Cherry Tree, John William Street, Huddersfield
Cherry Tree, John William Street, Huddersfield

Wetherspoon hopes other firms in the drinks sector will follow suit.

A spokesman for JD Wetherspoon told the Liverpool Echo : "We have decided to stop using plastic straws across our 900 pubs in the UK and Republic of Ireland by the end of this year.

"In addition, and with immediate effect, straws will no longer be automatically added to drinks, although they remain available for customers if requested.

Enjoy a pint without having to queue at the bar
Enjoy a pint without having to queue at the bar

"From January 2018, all of our pubs will use biodegradable paper straws."

Wetherspoon chief executive John Hutson added: "These changes are part of an overall commitment from the company to reduce the amount of non-recyclable waste produced.

"We believe that Wetherspoon pub-goers will welcome this."