UK zoos & lockdown going forward...

Jennings said:
No doubt Port Lympne, much of which can only be accessed by visitors on the back of a lorry, will presently be classed as a reserve and allowed to open. It isn't a zoo, you see, but a place where people are taken on tours of fields which just happen to have exotic animals in them.
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If/when Port Lympne re-opens, the safari part is the most problematic for them as they'd have to have social distancing both for queuing and in the trucks...the walk around part would more likely open first I think.
 
Gigit said:
What a shame Paignton is no longer 'Paignton Zoological and Botanical Gardens'. They could have opened the Botanical Gardens!
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Not, if the Government changed the definition again to stop them, they couldn't.
Pertinax said:
If/when Port Lympne re-opens, the safari part is the most problematic for them as they'd have to have social distancing both for queuing and in the trucks...the walk around part would more likely open first I think.
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Surely a safari truck is no different to a theme park ride or a public bus or train?
Jennings said:
No doubt Port Lympne, much of which can only be accessed by visitors on the back of a lorry, will presently be classed as a reserve and allowed to open. It isn't a zoo, you see, but a place where people are taken on tours of fields which just happen to have exotic animals in them.
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It appears now that movement is the issue - at a zoo you stand and watch (or sit in a truck, like a bus on the way to work, which IS OK), at a nature reserve you keep walking. This appears to be a version of the Belgian fine of 250 Euros for standing still in public. Fishing of course is classed as 'exercise' by the UK Government even though you drive your car to the pitch at the private fishing lake and then sit down all day. Presumably they think there are lots of votes from fishermen; but at the next election they might find that there are quite a lot of zoo visitors too...?
 
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how can standing around b an issue. people stand around outside shops and stand around in public gardens all the time. im sure most people can stand around at zoos 2 metres apart after all there will be restricted numbers in the places to start with. its just cods walop and just another poor excuse not to open
 
sidcup said:
how can standing around b an issue. people stand around outside shops and stand around in public gardens all the time. im sure most people can stand around at zoos 2 metres apart after all there will be restricted numbers in the places to start with. its just cods walop and just another poor excuse not to open
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Actually I think they do have a point, albeit a weak one. Just see what happens at (e.g.) Chester when the Tigers or the Spectacled Bears emerge into public view. A crowd gathers.

However given the undertaking to limit daily attendances to 3,000 this could be managed.
 
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SHAVINGTONZOO said:
Actually I think they do have a point, albeit a weak one. Just see what happens at (e.g.) Chester when the Tigers or the Spectacled Bears emerge into public view. A crowd gathers.

However given the undertaking to limit daily attendances to 3,000 this could be managed.
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Not really sure its a valid point when people stopping and gathering can happen in many other situations, so why single out zoos?

I have seen people gathering for concerts in streets, to see what emergency services are doing and protests. Also people are not keeping their distances in shops even at the height of the pandemic. It is a very flimsy excuse.
 
SHAVINGTONZOO said:
They have clearly not watched me in a nature reserve!
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It is quite clear that they have not watched anyone doing anything.

sidcup said:
how can standing around b an issue. people stand around outside shops and stand around in public gardens all the time. im sure most people can stand around at zoos 2 metres apart after all there will be restricted numbers in the places to start with. its just cods walop and just another poor excuse not to open
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Yes quite - every justification is as weak or weaker than the last...
 
Crowthorne said:
Knowlsey Safari Park have their piece on the BBC news website

Park queries 'Big Macs, but not big cats' lockdown
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I think safari parks have been treated even more harshly than zoos in the current situation. It would appear to me that implementing social distancing at safari parks should be relatively easy if the walkthrough section is not open. Can't see why they haven't been allowed to open as drive throughs only.
 
Apologies if this has been mentioned but Chessington is opening it's resort on July 4th. I went through the booking process (without completing) I picked a day and continued to the next page where it states that there will be access to the zoo.
I include a screenshot, it is stated under 'things to know'.
Screenshot 2020-06-09 at 20.19.05.png
 

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britishzoofan said:
It would appear to me that implementing social distancing at safari parks should be relatively easy if the walkthrough section is not open. Can't see why they haven't been allowed to open as drive throughs only.
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Absolutely, but in the absence of logic...

Ned said:
Apologies if this has been mentioned but Chessington is opening it's resort on July 4th. I went through the booking process (without completing) I picked a day and continued to the next page where it states that there will be access to the zoo. I include a screenshot, it is stated under 'things to know'.
View attachment 442023
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It does look as though that is the date we are aiming for.!
 
Okay, thanks. The way things are going I thought it looked a lot less uncertain. I know a zoo near to me has re-furloughed some of it's staff after they weren't allowed to open in June.
 
Ned said:
Okay, thanks. The way things are going I thought it looked a lot less uncertain. I know a zoo near to me has re-furloughed some of it's staff after they weren't allowed to open in June.
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There is a furlough cut-off date for new applications. Quite soon, I think - so maybe it was now or never..? They have to keep them furloughed for 3 weeks minimum. With changes, the scheme has been extended into October, so clearly the Government does not expect it to be over until at least then.
 
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With this pandemic still going on a question asked on another forum and I must admit thinking about it the person may have a point.
Why haven't collections kept there shops open on the internet as it would have brought in some (if not much) revenue that they currently aren't getting or was this to easy (they put that not me)?
 
AdrianW1963 said:
With this pandemic still going on a question asked on another forum and I must admit thinking about it the person may have a point.
Why haven't collections kept there shops open on the internet as it would have brought in some (if not much) revenue that they currently aren't getting or was this to easy (they put that not me)?
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I’m not sure the amount of sales would justify the cost in administrating this, organising delivery, dealing with suppliers etc. I would imagine such things will have been looked at and feasibility studies done, and that they concluded the benefit does not justify the cost. Most people only buy stuff from the shop as a souvenir anyway, and without visiting for the day out I would imagine the shop would get little custom.
 
taun said:
Also people are not keeping their distances in shops even at the height of the pandemic.
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This is very true. I am a retail worker myself and whilst a lot of people are still adhering to the social distancing, many are not and it has actually become frankly impossible to feel safe in the working environment.
 
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