Enjoy a Bee Friendly Pub

They’re arguably one of the central points of a community – bringing everyone together over food and drink. So why shouldn’t they be at the heart of your town’s bee population, too? 

Pubs often have all the tick boxes met for creating nature havens.

They typically have gardens or some form of outside space.

They have doorways and windows which are prime for hanging baskets and window boxes.

And they have an engaged audience for sharing an important message.

So how can you take these pros and make them work for bees and butterflies?

If your local has a garden, you’re one step ahead of the game. Ask the landlord if they’d be happy to prioritise bee-friendly planting – think lavender, oxeye daisies and who doesn’t love the purple colour pop of verbena? No garden but some sort of outside terrace or smoking area? Cover the slabs with potted plants – erysimum, cosmos and Michaelmas daisies should keep the bees happy throughout the year.

Filled window boxes are another winner. Or even single plant pots placed on the tables. We suggest flowering herbs for these – partly because they work well in contained spaces and partly because they smell great for humans, too. Think thyme, oregano and mint.

And don’t forget bees need to drink, too. Encourage your landlord to position saucers around the site, filled with water and corks. The corks provide landing pads for pollinators so they can quench their thirst safely.

Now to harness the power of the pub-goers. Why not utilise the indoor space to raise money for your bee-friendly projects – or even for the Bee Friendly Trust. Tap and donate points or good old money collection boxes could be placed at either end of the bar; proceeds from the monthly pub quiz could contribute to your local nature; or you could recommend the Orange and Honey gin from Anno Distillers be stocked. Why? Because for every bottle sold, a donation is made to the Bee Friendly Trust’s wildlife projects.