Thornes, Budget hives and delivery times.

[leonotron]

I was thinking of getting one of Thornes bees on a budget flat pack hives. Price seems cheaper than they are here in Ireland. I'm driving to London next weekend so I have the means to bring it back to Dublin. My main question is if I buy it now will it be delivered to a London address on time so I have it for next Friday? I read something about a backlog on these hives in the past.
I'm planning to expand from a single hive to a second hive next year so I'm getting started early.

 

[Hivemaker.]

My main question is if I buy it now will it be delivered to a London address on time so I have it for next Friday?

Best to contact Thornes, and ask them.

 

[leonotron]

I'm going to give them a call Monday but just checking if anyone here has any previous experience.

 

[VEG]

I have had one delivered in a few days another took 2 weeks all down to stock levels.

 

[alanf]

I have had one delivered in a few days another took 2 weeks all down to stock levels.

Stock levels and what else they have on. I know somebody who ordered one in last year's sales and it took nearly three weeks. You could be lucky in that orders are being turned around quickly at present before the sales delays set in after Christmas,

Two ways to find out, try ordering and see or ring and ask what current order turn around times are. Delivery is by one of the cheaper carriers, so you'd have to expect 72 hours or so door to door and with business ramping up to Christmas it's not going to be a slack time fir them.

Add: if you were thinking of transporting one, they do come packed in a sturdy box that's quite handy for the purpose if you have the room for it; about half a metre square and nearly as tall.

 

[Davelin]

I have found them pretty helpful when I've rung so would definitely give them a ring and see what they say.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If you're driving to London why don't you call in to their Windsor site and pick it up?

 

[MuswellMetro]

If you're driving to London why don't you call in to their Windsor site and pick it up?

Windsor is unlikely to stock them unless they have changed their policy THe last time i enquired for our beginners they were only available online or on sale days at Windsor ,but phone an see if they are, I am often wrong :-{

 

[leonotron]

If you're driving to London why don't you call in to their Windsor site and pick it up?

I've a lot to do in London so I want to avoid having to go anywhere to get it. Much easier to have it sent to the house I'm staying in.

 

[itma]

If you're driving to London why don't you call in to their Windsor site and pick it up?

Sure, phone ahead and arrange for it to be there, but if you can manage to be passing during shop hours, that would be the simplest answer.
You would however also get the chance to be tempted by all manner of other things that you don't NEED right now, but are bound to come in very handy ... soon ... really.

The location is just off the M4 motorway, quite close to the M4/M25 junction. Unlikely to be much out of your way.

 

[farbee]

Sure, phone ahead and arrange for it to be there, but if you can manage to be passing during shop hours, that would be the simplest answer.
You would however also get the chance to be tempted by all manner of other things that you don't NEED right now, but are bound to come in very handy ... soon ... really.

The location is just off the M4 motorway, quite close to the M4/M25 junction. Unlikely to be much out of your way.

Rather depends where in London he is going surely.
That part of the M25 can be a nightmare.

 

[itma]

Rather depends where in London he is going surely.
That part of the M25 can be a nightmare.

Well, driving to and from Dublin, I think its a reasonable guess that he's going to be coming in on the M4 or the M40. Which are pretty easy for Windsor.
And any part of the M25 can be a carpark if you are unlucky.

I was in the middle of an M25 jam once. Stationary. The other carriageway was similarly stationary. Realised that stopped right opposite, heading in the other direction, was a bloke from along the road. Had a chat for a few minutes until the traffic moved another hundred yards ...
Not where I normally meet people!

 

[BeeJayBee]

I've a lot to do in London so I want to avoid having to go anywhere to get it. Much easier to have it sent to the house I'm staying in.

If Th0rnes don't have any or can't deliver, don't forget to try Ma1semore. They do "Rock Bottom" hives, and currently have a seconds sale.

 

[peterbees]

Or, if you're travelling to Holyhead you could call in to C. Wynn8 j0nes in Ruthin and pick one up, easy to find and you can be sure of a warm welcome.

 

[farbee]

Well, driving to and from Dublin, I think its a reasonable guess that he's going to be coming in on the M4 or the M40. Which are pretty easy for Windsor.
And any part of the M25 can be a carpark if you are unlucky.

I was in the middle of an M25 jam once. Stationary. The other carriageway was similarly stationary. Realised that stopped right opposite, heading in the other direction, was a bloke from along the road. Had a chat for a few minutes until the traffic moved another hundred yards ...
Not where I normally meet people!

Yes but maybe he will be passing when the shop is not open or is too tired to go looking for hives after a long journey. I certainly would not like trying to find the Windsor Thornes shop after a long journey (or short journey for that matter).

 

[farbee]

Well, driving to and from Dublin, I think its a reasonable guess that he's going to be coming in on the M4 or the M40. Which are pretty easy for Windsor.

Not likely if you know your Geography. M40 or M1 are the possible routes I think you will find if you are coming car.

 

[alanf]

Not likely if you know your Geography. M40 or M1 are the possible routes I think you will find if you are coming car.

Is the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry still running?

 

[MuswellMetro]

Is the Fishguard to Rosslare ferry still running?

Yes, well it was last month when my wife used it,

off the M4 at junction 8 or down off the M40 on the A404/M to M4 junction 8

take a lunch at the Olde Red Lion next to Thornes or more upmarket Greene Oak 100yds away, the the Oak is a bit "Bistro" BUT check £hornes stock it first

 

[Tom Bick]

Interesting fact or fiction a little bird told me thornes sell 80 WBC hives per week? That had me thinking how many nationals

 

[alanf]

Interesting fact or fiction a little bird told me thornes sell 80 WBC hives per week? That had me thinking how many nationals

Interesting thought. I did read somewhere that WBC was their second best seller. Nearly all the hives round here that I know of are nationals and I'd guess over 50% are Th0rnes. Either budget range or seconds bought from sales directly or bulk bought and sold on by association.

Back of the envelope calculation: BBKA claim 24000 members, average 4 hives, say. If they bought a new hive every 4 years that's 6000 a year or 120 a week from all sources. I'm thinking non BBKA are less predictable in their hive buying habits, so won't add so many. In practice recent recruits probably add to the the new hive buying, but I'd say 6000 is somewhere near predicted English annual sales over the next few years, plus some for rest of UK.

If 80 of those a week or 4000 a year are Th0rnes WBC, I'd be really surprised. They might have capacity to make 80 in a week if a big order came in and they dropped everything else, but unlikely they could sell that many week after week.

Did I mention I like numbers?