Primark says sorry after swarm of bees forces Canterbury store to close

Primark has apologised after a swam of bees forced the closure of one of its shops in Kent. The Canterbury store on Marlowe Arcade had to be shut on Tuesday (June 25).

A beekeeper was called in at around 10.30am after the bees clustered around a hanging basket of flowers next to the entrance to the store in Whitefriars shopping centre. Hundreds of bees could be seen from a cordon set up outside the shop.

A crowd of curious shoppers and workers gathered to see the beekeeper at work, with a cardboard box used to remove the cluster. However it took several hours for the swam to clear.

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Primark said in an initial statement that the store would open "as soon as it is safe". Shoppers were allowed back inside around six hours later.

The statement said: "We are really sorry we have had to temporarily close our Canterbury store while local bee control and conservation safely move a swarm of bees who showed up outside the store. We will reopen as soon as it is safe for our customers and colleagues, and the bees are safely relocated."

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