Bee & bee hotel that makes its own honey

A London hotel has unveiled its latest way to cut down on food miles - serving honey produced by 250,000 bees living on its roof.

The Royal Lancaster Hotel, near Hyde Park, is installing beehives to produce honey for guests. It also hopes to produce its own candles and beauty products from the beeswax.

"We were thinking about how we could become more environmentally friendly, and someone suggested bees," said the hotel's Jo Hemesley, who set up the project.

"We have a flat roof overlooking Hyde Park, and after talking to beekeepers we decided to install hives on it." The hotel has two working hives, with three more planned for later this summer.

"We actually sourced the bees from a Camberwell beekeeper, so they are real London bees," said Ms Hemesley. "We are hoping for about 40lb of honey from each hive over a year." The hotel has trained four staff as beekeepers and has been working with the London Beekeepers' Association.

It is hoped the first honey can be harvested next summer. "We are confident they will produce some great honey," said Ms Hemesley. "The bees have the whole of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens to fly around.

"Our guests will be able to enjoy the fact that the honey is literally made on their own doorstep."

The move is another example of how Londoners are increasingly turning to beekeeping. Hundreds of hives are dotted around the capital.

Luke Dixon, of London Beekeepers, said the bees may mix with more refined hives. "There are some in Regent's Park, Lambeth Palace - and the Queen even has hives in Buckingham Palace."