Busy Printworks Bees Deliver Record Harvest

The Printworks and the Hard Rock Cafe are celebrating their second annual honey harvest with lots of jars of Manchester’s finest #LiveFromTheHive honey, made by the city’s hard-working honey bees, available to buy later this month…

The honey bees which live in the celebrated rooftop eco garden on top of The Printworks have been busy this year and have produced a whopping 213 jars – almost doubling the yield from last year’s harvest.

“The second
honey harvest
is the biggest
batch yet and
has created a
real buzz at
The Printworks”

Launched in 2012, the rooftop garden now hosts four hives housing approximately 320,000 bees in total. 2014 heralded the first yield of honey, which was graded ‘exceptional’ by the Manchester District Beekeepers Association. Local artist ‘Mancsy’ designed the labels for the limited edition honey -signing and numbering 30 jars that went on to be sold for as much as £75 each to keen collectors. This year’s jars will use the same label design, but will feature black lids.

To celebrate 15 years of The Printworks and Hard Rock Cafe Manchester creating a buzz in the city, jar number 15 has been signed by the artist and held back for a special auction to raise even more funds for the two Manchester charities.

The bee keeping is very much a hands-on affair with Printworks centre director Fred Booth and staff Emma Livingstone, and Jack Barton – all qualified apiarists – tending to the bees on a weekly basis and attending evening sessions and workshops with the Manchester District Beekeepers Association. Canon Adrian Rhodes, a fully qualified bee keeper who manages the hives on the roof of Manchester Cathedral, assists on a weekly and on-call basis.

“The second honey harvest is the biggest batch yet and has created a real buzz at The Printworks,” said Fred. We are proud to be raising even more money for two outstanding Manchester charities and we’re sure that the jars of honey will go on to become collectors items yet again – we have already taken pre-orders for 99 of the 213 jars.

“The rooftop garden and its produce has gone from strength to strength and we are sure that its success will continue for many years to come.”

In addition to the hives, the rooftop eco garden boasts a chicken coop housing six chickens, a wild flower meadow, an orchard, a herb garden and, the most recent addition, the Beetle Hotel – a bespoke insect biome installation that provides shelter and habitat for around 100 common ground beetles.

The #LiveFromTheHive honey will be available from the Hard Rock Cafe at a special launch event on 22nd October, 6pm – 8pm. Tickets for the event are £20 each and include a 12oz jar of honey, a welcome drink and a selection of canapés.

All of the money raised by the sales of the honey, which is £10 a jar, will go to Forever Manchester and The Booth Centre.

To purchase tickets for the honey launch event on 22^nd October or to place your order, please contact Emma Livingstone and Jack Barton on 0161 831 6700.