Princesshay City Bee Project

Welcome to our beehives! Book a tour now for World Bee Day on 20th May or pop a date in the diary for later throughout the summer to come and see our buzzy bees.

Princesshay’s City Bee Project began in 2012, when a tranquil rooftop garden was created for honey bees high above the shopping centre as part of an environmental initiative which forms part of the company’s wider biodiversity strategy.

Princesshay’s City Bee Project continues to grow, with the project now housing between 3 – 5 hives with approximately 240,000 bees. Honey that is harvested is sold in Chandos Deli, located in Roman Walk, with all proceeds donated to Princesshay’s Charity of the Year.

Princesshay now also has an observation hive, offering visitors and school groups the opportunity to see the activity inside the hive through glass panels. Princesshay regularly encourages visitors to visit the project and get an insight into the busy world of bees. To date, the City Bee Project has been visited by over 1500 school children, students and members of the public.

Interested in a spring/summer 2025 rooftop garden and beehives tour?

Tour dates are now live and can be booked here a month prior to each tour. Tickets are £5 per person and proceeds will go to Vranch House, our Charity of the Year 2025/26.

Upcoming dates;

Tuesday 20th May (World Bee Day) – 9am, 11am, 1pm

Thursday 19th June – 10am

Thursday 10th July – 10am

Thursday 31st July – 10am

Thursday 14th August – 10am

Thursday 18th September – 10am

BOOK NOW

In September 2016, Princesshay unveiled a new piece of commissioned public art by Exeter-based artist Amy Shelton. The Princesshay Honey Flow light box is situated in Bampfylde Lane.

The Princesshay Honey Flow light box by nationally renowned, local artist Amy Shelton, is a bespoke, specially commissioned public artwork which showcases the plants most important to the Princesshay honey bees collecting pollen and nectar across Exeter, from the first flowers of spring right through the seasons. Visitors to the light box will be able to see the city from a bee’s perspective!

Find out more by watching this short film.