Can i have some advice for my father - he is hoping to start keeping bees.
Firstly does anyone have any links of where to get equipment including and second hand equipment.
Can anyone advice on good books on how to keep bees?
Any other advice would be useful.
thanks.
Beekeeping suppliers, but they're expensive. Try your local beekeepers' Association, in case they know of anything going cheap. It's a bit late to start this year, so if that doesn't work, wait till the New Year, and get some hives in Thorne's winter sale (http://www.thorne.co.uk/). These are seconds, but the bees won't care about a knot or two in the wood.
As for books, try FIBKA, 'Bees, Hives and Honey, and Ted Hooper, 'Guide to Bees and Honey'. I always feel that Ron Brown's 'Beekeeping: A Seasonal Guide' is one of the best, but it's out of print. You may well find it on Abebooks.com .