Four Hives Above the High Street

Isla: Our next guest keeps four hives on the roof of a department store in the city centre, which strikes me as either wonderfully eccentric or slightly reckless. Henry, which is it? Henry: Neither, I hope, although I'll admit people do raise an eyebrow. The truth is that bees cope with city life rather better than you'd imagine. Parks, balconies, lime trees along the avenues; there's a surprising amount for them to forage on. Isla: And I take it the honey is something rather special? Henry: Well, that's where I'd urge a bit of caution. You'll often hear it said that urban honey is purer than the countryside variety. Frankly, I've yet to see convincing evidence for that. What I can say is that it tastes different from one street to the next, because it depends on whatever happens to be in bloom. Isla: So the real appeal isn't the product at all? Henry: Not primarily, no. What I'm most pleased about is the awareness it's created. Not only have the children who visit stopped being afraid of bees, but the store has started planting its own window boxes, which was never part of the plan. Isla: Is there a downside? Henry: There is one, and it rarely gets mentioned. If too many people put hives on rooftops, the bees end up competing for the same flowers, and the wild pollinators lose out. I'd far rather see fewer hives and more flowering plants than the other way round. Isla: That's a surprisingly modest message from a beekeeper. Henry: Perhaps, but I'd rather be honest than fashionable.