Liverpool Shopping Center Becomes Home to Thriving Bee Colonies
Thousands of bees inhabit rooftop hives at St. Johns Shopping Centre, with staff trained in beekeeping.
A unique environmental initiative has taken root on the roof of Liverpool's St. Johns Shopping Centre, where thousands of bees have established thriving colonies.
The shopping center is now home to three beehives, with two installed in 2021 and a third added last year. During peak summer months, these hives can house up to 180,000 bees.
The project, a collaboration between St. Johns and its maintenance provider NG Bailey, was conceived as an environmental effort. To support the hives, five members of the center's staff have undergone beekeeper training. Kieron Jones, a maintenance supervisor, shared his experience, noting the unexpected but rewarding nature of incorporating beekeeping into his routine. "I never thought it would be part of my maintenance routine to look after beehives," Jones told BBC Radio Merseyside. "When it was suggested, it piqued our interest and we thought this is another skill set we can get, and it lets us give something back, so it was really good."
This year's honey production was particularly successful, yielding approximately 150 jars. Local schoolchildren are involved in the process, contributing by designing the labels for the honey jars.
The hives are strategically located on the shopping center's roof, in the vicinity of the well-known St. Johns Beacon.
