Sick looking Beech hedge

Where I work there is a large beech hedge looking quite sorry for itself. The leaves look dark and unhealthy, and are starting to curl and shrink. I'm sure last year the leaves were a lovely bright green! Does it need feeding? I usually cut it back around September time, but at this rate , it won't need cutting back. Any advice please?

 

Sounds like aphids, either way cutting it and some bloodfish and bone will help.

 

It's worth giving the hedge two cuts a year - early June and early September. I'd really like to make the first cut earlier but it would interfere with wild bird nesting. It's a lot of work but the hedge looks better for longer and seems to stay more vigorous. The early cut also gets rid of those aphids mentioned by JWK which were really bad this year.

Ooops, just seen where you live. Two cuts a year might not be practical for you up there in Scotland?

 

Thanks for the help and advice. I will trim and feed, and keep fingers crossed!