Shere Craftsmen And Albury Vineyard Create ‘Luxury Hotel’ For Bugs

Published on: 9 Jul, 2019
Updated on: 12 Jul, 2019

A giant hotel created by Shere Kitchens for creepy crawlies in Albury Vineyard is probably the most five-star, luxurious accommodation that any bug, bee or beetle could ever desire.

Andy and Ella Driscoll from Shere Kitchens, left, Nick Wenman and Lucy Letley from Albury Vineyard, right, with children from Shere C of E Infant School.

Children from the Hedgehog cohort at Shere C of E Infant School enthusiastically put the finishing touches to the deluxe bug hotel at its grand opening.

They inserted hollow bamboo canes and gathered sticks, moss, grass and wood to make a ground-floor nesting site for small animals as well as bugs. There was great excitement when the first creepy crawlies found in the undergrowth were introduced to their new home!

“I love the bug house because we got to help make it,” said one of the boys.

The Bug Hotel was a collaboration between the biodynamic vineyard and the artisan kitchen company.

Nick Wenman helping Shere schoolchildren put the finishing touches to the Bug Hotel.

Vineyard owner Nick Wenman explained: “More than 80% of EU crops rely on a severely declining bug population for pollination.

“We are delighted to be working with Shere Kitchens to improve the bug population here at Albury and the Bug Hotel is a great way to help educate local school children on the importance of pollinators to the environment. We very much welcome anyone who is interested to come and visit us, enjoy a glass of our organic wine and visit the Bug Hotel.”

“We absolutely loved making the bug hotel for Albury Vineyard,” said Ella Driscoll from Shere Kitchens. “Our new apprentice Tomas Baker created it from wood off-cuts left over from making our bespoke kitchens and he made such beautiful job if it.

“We feel so lucky to work with Nick and the team at Albury as they care so deeply about growing the vines organically, respectfully and environmentally. And it was very special that the children from Shere Infant School came to help us finish it with wood and sticks.

“Nick made the afternoon really fun and engaging for the children. They drew pictures, took part in a quiz, picnicked in the vineyard and learned all about the vines, the beehives and the local wildlife and even rolled down the hill!

Shere Kitchens apprentice Tomas Baker building the frame of the Bug Hotel.

“Thank you, Year 1. They bought bucket-loads of enthusiasm and asked lots of fantastic questions. They really got into the spirit of the afternoon – making pillows for the bugs with moss, creating crowns from goose-grass, searching for bugs and thinking about how important it is to re-use materials.

“Our kitchens celebrate the beauty of wood and now our off-cuts have made a beautiful home for bugs – we’re really pleased to have been able to do something so positive for our environment and community.

The Albury Vineyard Bug Hotel.

“Being members of the Surrey Hills Enterprise group is a key driver of our conservation efforts. We feel so lucky to live and work here in this beautiful landscape and it’s wonderful to find ways to help our environment and re-use the materials we work with. We hope the lucky bugs who live there will thrive.”