Edinburgh hotel abuzz with 20,000 bees in rooftop hives
MANY Scottish hotels hope to be buzzing this summer and one of Edinburgh’s top establishments is guaranteed to be – though perhaps not solely for the reason you’d expect.
Eden Locke on George Street has become home to Scottish sustainable honey company Webster Honey’s first hotel colony of beehives in the capital, housing four hives containing more than 20,000 bees on its roof.
It is the second hotel in Scotland to have partnered with the firm. Last year, the honey brand teamed up with Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Balquidder, near Lochearnhead, which agreed to have two hives positioned in its grounds.
Webster Honey offers all sorts of organisations, from schools and nurseries to businesses, the opportunity to look after its hives for a year or longer.
Hosts of the hives are supplied honey when it is harvested which can then be sold, or in the case of businesses with a food offering, such as hotels, used in dishes they serve.
Educational establishments can carry out a lesson plan on the life cycle of bees with their pupils in consultation with Webster Honey’s beekeeper Meik Molitor who delivers age-appropriate sessions, first letting the children decorate their own hive.
Monachyle Mhor, meanwhile, has decided to offer honey workshops to foodie guests as day-long courses, with Mr Molitor overseeing this activity for them.
Commenting on the deal at Eden Locke, Daniel Webster, managing director of Webster Honey, said: “We are delighted to secure our first hotel in
Edinburgh. Locke is a fantastic brand to work with, with an excellent food provenance at its heart which I’m confident our honey will enhance.
“Hives can be sited anywhere – you don’t have to be out in the country to have bees, as we already have a hive on a roof at a nursery in Edinburgh. Roofs are a great and very safe place in which to put a hive and these ones will enjoy a spectacular view of Edinburgh. Not that the bees will notice – they will be far too busy – but it will certainly be nice for Meik, our beekeeper.”
Mr Webster is hoping for a nice summer comparable to last year’s, as the combination of fine weather and reduced pollution meant the bees “did really well”.
He added: “The lockdowns have prevented us from being able to do much engagement with any of our customers who were hosting hives for us. We would love it if now we are able to get back to doing that, as it adds so much to the overall hosting experience.
“Meik goes regularly round all of his hives to carry out all checks on the hives and make sure the bees are flourishing.”
Mr Webster and his partner Emily-Kate McDonnell started Webster Honey in 2016 with just two beehives in Kinross, and have aspirations to be Scotland’s biggest bee employer.
Jamie Mackie, general manager at Eden Locke, said: “It’s been so exciting to have the four hives positioned and filled with over 20,000 bees.
“We are thrilled to partner with Webster Honey and provide a safe new home for bees at Eden Locke, where they can thrive.
“Locke works with local partners that are passionate about what they do and can provide interactions that transform guests’ stays with us into truly memorable experiences.
“We’ve no doubt our guests will enjoy sampling homemade honey while learning about the important role bees play in our environment – and if they’re lucky, even catch Meik for a chat.”