This was a new supplier to me.  They are based in Wells, Somerset and is run by Mike Duckett.  Despite the name they don’t sell bees, at least I don’t think so, but have a range of low cost beekeepers’ clothing.  According to Mike  “this is the 3rd season they have been selling on-line and direct to schools, environmental groups, BBKA divisions and individuals”.  He added that “in 2010 they sold in excess of 2,000 items in the UK and for export markets in Europe and the US.”

Have a look at their website and also find them in the links to the right of this page.

Message from Gill Smith at Thorne’s

Dear Beekeeper

Sale Days are here again!

After many weeks of hard work supplying orders over the beekeeping season, we are at last in a position to announce dates for our 2010 Open Day, Sales Days and Winter Sale.

The first one will be the Sale Day at our Windsor branch – Saturday 9th October.

Then the Sale Day at our Stockbridge branch – Saturday 23rd October

This will be followed by the Wragby Open Day on Saturday 20th November.    It will be at our new premises at Rand – now renamed as the Beehive Business Park, Rand, Nr. Wragby, LN8 5NJ

Finally, our online mail order Winter Sale will start on Monday 29th November.

Keep an eye on our website and the beekeeping press for further details.

Just a note about our new premises.   Thank you to so many of our customers for their good wishes on our exciting project to move our factory after almost 100 years on the same site.     The builders are now knocking down internal walls to make the shop and despatch area and the dust extraction system will start to be installed in a couple of weeks.    Then we will start to move, department by department, as quickly as practical.    But, for the moment, we are still at Wragby.

Gill Smith

E.H. Thorne (Beehives) Ltd, Beehive Works, Wragby, Market Rasen, LN8 5LA

Tel 01673 858555       sales@thorne.co.uk

Beginners are often baffled by the intructions on how to assemble frames and hive supers or brood boxes.

Paynes Southdown Bee Farms Ltd have posted two videos to YouTube which should help.  You can find links on our Resources page.

We have added a link to Caddon Hives located in the Scottish Borders. They are a Father and Son team, and have been selling WBC and National hives now for nearly 5 years. Hives are made to the BBKA standard from Cedar. 

Use the link under Suppliers to visit their website.