During the month of May, Jockey Club Catering has introduced beehives to Haydock Park Racecourse to boost local biodiversity, to produce honey that will be used across various raceday and C&E menus.

Welcoming around 100,000 bees to the four hives, Haydock Park’s newest inhabitants will play an important ecological role across the 127-acre site and its wider surroundings.

Once established, it is hoped that the honey the bees produce will enhance many of the dishes served, including starters, desserts and even cocktails.

Pollinators are crucial to the production of over 75 percent of crops globally, including fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. It has been shown that pollination increases not only the quantity, but also the quality and diversity of our food.

As part of the new initiative, Haydock Park will introduce several theoretical and practical training courses for employees. The courses will cover the craft of beekeeping, the life cycle of bees, methods for honey extraction and preparation, and swarm control.

Paul Muirhead, JCC Deputy General Manager, Haydock Park, said: “As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability and enhancing our local environment, we are proud to introduce four new beehives at Haydock Park. These hives support vital pollinator populations while contributing to the biodiversity of the racecourse grounds.

“In addition to playing an important ecological role, the bees will also help us produce our own honey - an exciting step towards creating hyper-local, sustainable ingredients for our menus. This initiative reflects our dedication to responsible sourcing and our ambition to bring nature closer to our culinary operations.”

Keep an eye on our social media channels over the coming months as we will be documenting the progress of the beehives.