The Manchester Bee is the symbol of the city, nodding to its industrial past and hard workers. In 1842, a coat of arms had to be designed, and it was decided to have a globe with seven bees on it to represent the continents and seas the city traded with. The bee symbol is so cherished that various iterations of it are trademarked, and should you wish to use it, you would need to apply for licensing permission. This walk does not list all of the places where you can see the bee, so keep your eye out for the symbol on bins, bollards, and maybe some murals along the way.
Click here to populate this route on Google Maps
Route overview
Hotel Gotham was formerly the premises of Midland Bank. It is designed in an Art Deco style and was once called “The King”. It was rumoured in 2010 that jewellery, gold, and tapes from Joy Division and New Order were found in safety deposit boxes on site. The influence of the Manchester Bee is sprinkled throughout the hotel, from the Honey Restaurant to the honey gold details and trimmings. You can take a virtual tour here.
Honey Restaurant at Hotel Gotham with honeycomb floor. Credit: Oliver Redfern
Leaving Hotel Gotham, turn right down Spring Gardens onto Charlotte Street, then right onto Mosley Street to find the Manchester Art Gallery on the left.
Leaving the gallery, turn left onto Princess Street, then immediately right to St. Peter’s Square, then left onto Oxford Street to find Kimpton Clocktower Hotel.
Leaving the hotel, turn right, then right onto Whitworth Street. Keep slightly left onto Aytoun Street, then curve right onto Auburn Street, then Ducie Street. Turn left at the car park at the split with Peak and Ducie Street towards the canal. Part 1 of the Manchester Bees Guided Walk
Manchester Art Gallery on the inside holds some of the most fantastic artworks. And on the roof, some of the hardest working bees. The first beehive was set up in 2011 and grew to multiple beehives. The honey was then sold in the gallery shop, and the wax was made into lip balm. A wildflower garden was added too, so the little worker bees don’t need to travel too far for work.
Manchester Art Galleries beehives. Credit: Beespace, Milly Millais, Rosie Rosetti.
Goddard Littlefair beautifully reimagined Kimpton Clocktower Hotel’s interiors. The elegantly placed influences of the Manchester bee can be seen on the cushions designed by Michaelis Boyd and Timorous Beasties in the form of a bespoke Bloomsbury Garden fabric cushion. With splashes of emerald greens and honey-gold, you’ll be living in your very own “beehive”.
Kimpton Clocktower Hotel interior. Credit: Timorous Beasties
Turn right to follow along the canal. Cross over the Cast No Shadow Bridge. Look over the edge and see if you can see the clever reflection from the bridge. Turn left onto Radburn Street to find Beehive Mill.
Leaving Beehive Mill, turn right onto Jersey Street, then right onto Ring Road/Great Ancoats Street. At the second big intersection, turn left onto Rochdale Road, which becomes Shudehill and then Withy Grove.
Part 2 of the Manchester Bees Guided Walk
Beehive Mill was once a cotton mill and received the Beehive nickname from the hustle and bustle of the workers. The cotton industry is exactly what put Manchester on the map and how it received its industrial reputation. Beehive Mill evolved from a mill to a soap factory, Sankey’s nightclub, and now a small business hub of coworking spaces. Beehive Mill is set in the stylish Ancoats Urban Village and is receiving a few updates and features like kitchens, a coffee shop, and an urban garden. This 19th-century building carries a wonderful history and is a testament to the hard work that built up the city.
Beehive Mill interior. Credit: Urban Splash
Keep left at the National Football Museum to walk through the Cathedral Gardens, or turn left onto Fennel Street towards the Manchester Cathedral on Cathedral Street.
Leaving the Cathedral, walk towards Cathedral Yard, turn left, then right onto Cathedral Gates through Shambles Square and onto New Cathedral Street until you reach the Royal Exchange Theatre in St. Anne’s Square.
Part 3 of the Manchester Bees Guided Walk
Manchester Cathedral also has its own beehives for the buzzy visitors. This volunteer-based community project, Volition, helps the unemployed build their confidence and self-esteem so that they can apply for and thrive in jobs. Additionally, thanks to the many business partnerships, the volunteers can get more training and up-skilling opportunities like cooking, administration, events planning, and much more.
Manchester Cathedral beehives. Credit: Manchester Cathedral website
The Royal Exchange Theatre is one-of-a-kind in design. With no seat further than 9 metres from the stage and a 360-degree stage, the theatre sits within the Great Hall of the Royal Exchange. The nod to the Manchester Bee is actually across from the entrance to the Theatre on the wall of the building, watching over the passers-by of St. Anne’s Square.
Royal Exchange Theatre. Credit: Manchester Evening News
Click here to populate this route on Google Maps
Resources:
If you enjoyed this route, see our Ancoats Walk
Remember to download our app here.