Re-opening of UK Zoos - dates, timings & bookings

Quincey said:
Edinburgh Zoo and HWP to re-open on June 29th:

Edinburgh Zoo reopening update | Edinburgh Zoo

Highland Wildlife Park reopening update | Highland Wildlife Park
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As regards the following at Highland Wildlife Park:

We understand lockdown measures need to be eased gradually and appreciate why we need to open only to people living locally to begin with – the guidance states that locally means broadly within 5 miles.

Safety comes first and it is important everyone follows the rules to protect themselves and others. This means taking responsible decisions on how far to travel.

(WARNING: people visiting from outside the local area may be thrown to the polar bears.)

Given the location of the collection, this theoretically means that even after the collection re-opens only the residents of the nearest village (Kingussie) and any immediately-local farmsteads will be permitted to visit :P even Aviemore and Newtonmore will be outside the 5-mile radius.

So not really much financial relief available for the collection as yet!
 
Jersey is removing its restrictions, such as compulsory face masks and advance booking, next week.
 
Maguari said:
As per this afternoon's announcement at Holyrood, outdoor zoos in Scotland are to be allowed to open from 29th June - but as things stand there is still to be a restriction of approximately 5 miles on leisure travel at that point, which if still in place will leave many places without much of a visitor base to draw on.
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'Approximately' 5 miles is a but of a head-scratcher...! In our part of England, 5 miles is 5 miles, but I guess in a mountainous country it is a bit less clear cut...?:D
Whether up-hill or on the flat, it is a useless distance for most 'outdoor zoos' in Scotland (or England), unless they have fully automated self-scanning tickets, so their reception requires no staff. Reminds me vaguely of the old 'Parish Member' system run at Slimbridge in the early days which gave free entry to all the local villagers, as compensation for being disturbed by the hundreds of cars passing through their once sleepy backwater. But of course their 'Parish Members' were in addition to all the other cars, and not a replacement for them.
 
visited Yorkshire wild life park today. Went on the pre text that is would be capped visitors today so it would feel safe. Busiest its ever been when ive visited where a few staff trying their best to get people to keep 2 meter rule, complete shambles around the polar bears, tigers and lions left early than planned didn't feel safe. I understand zoos are desperate for income but ill be giving it a bit longer till I visit another collection. They also advised picnics are not allowed within the zoo so i left it in the car. Was frustrated to see when I got inside the picnic field was open with 36 tables with loads having picnics!
 
Andrew Swales said:
'Approximately' 5 miles is a but of a head-scratcher...! In our part of England, 5 miles is 5 miles, but I guess in a mountainous country it is a bit less clear cut...?:D
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Well, as much as governments love rules I guess they accept that it's unreasonable to expect people to get out their measuring wheel to check, or to be denied a nice walk because going around the one-way system makes it 5.2 miles! :D

It's not so bad for Edinburgh, which has pretty much the whole city fudgably within 5-ish miles. Otherwise really small numbers for a lot of places. Interesting that Blair Drummond and Highland seem to be opening up regardless though. Presumably they're banking on the 5-mile guidance being shelved fairly soon after reopening (similar guidance in Wales is planned to be lifted in the first week of July), so in fact it would create basically a soft opening for them.
 
woody505 said:
visited Yorkshire wild life park today. Went on the pre text that is would be capped visitors today so it would feel safe. Busiest its ever been when ive visited where a few staff trying their best to get people to keep 2 meter rule, complete shambles around the polar bears, tigers and lions left early than planned didn't feel safe. I understand zoos are desperate for income but ill be giving it a bit longer till I visit another collection. They also advised picnics are not allowed within the zoo so i left it in the car. Was frustrated to see when I got inside the picnic field was open with 36 tables with loads having picnics!
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Mmmm..... looks as though they have been greedy and set their self-imposed limits too high, and I hope their visible greed does not back-fire - but I guess people are used to seeing chaos from shops on the high-street?
 
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Maguari said:
Well, as much as governments love rules I guess they accept that it's unreasonable to expect people to get out their measuring wheel to check, or to be denied a nice walk because going around the one-way system makes it 5.2 miles! :D

It's not so bad for Edinburgh, which has pretty much the whole city fudgably within 5-ish miles. Otherwise really small numbers for a lot of places. Interesting that Blair Drummond and Highland seem to be opening up regardless though. Presumably they're banking on the 5-mile guidance being shelved fairly soon after reopening (similar guidance in Wales is planned to be lifted in the first week of July), so in fact it would create basically a soft opening for them.
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I think that Highland and Blair Drummond will be accepting the loss for two reasons - as you say it given a chance for a (very) soft opening - and secondly they will not have wanted the criticism some English zoos (which have been painting a very black picture) have had, of not needing to be ready for business, despite the continuous requests for funds.
 
Andrew Swales said:
Mmmm..... looks as though they have been greedy and set their self-imposed limits too high, and I hope their visible greed does not back-fire - but I guess people are used to seeing chaos from shops on the high-street?
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I've seen a lot of comments saying YWP have handled it well, though, to be fair - I suspect a lot depends on which other people are in the park with you. And, I suppose, on your approach to risk..!

I'll be able to judge for myself next weekend, so will be interesting to see.
 
Andrew Swales said:
'Approximately' 5 miles is a but of a head-scratcher...! In our part of England, 5 miles is 5 miles, but I guess in a mountainous country it is a bit less clear cut...?:D
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Reminiscent of the old 'you can travel to exercise as long as the exercise is a greater distance than the travelling to it'- remember that one?, it seems a lifetime ago now... anyway, somewhere like the Highland Wildlife Park, surely it won't be worth them opening until the five mile rule is relaxed. How many folk live that near to them, from memory of my visit there, very few I think.
 
People living in England are not under the 5 mile rule, so are they allowed to travel to Wales & Scotland to visit a zoo?
 
Pertinax said:
somewhere like the Highland Wildlife Park, surely it won't be worth them opening until the five mile rule is relaxed. How many folk live that near to them, from memory of my visit there, very few I think.
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Financially it would be a loss for them, just as it would for us and many others - but I think as a positive message, a show of 'readiness' and a thank-you to locals it will be well worth them opening as soon as they are allowed, and taking the hit.
 
pipaluk said:
People living in England are not under the 5 mile rule, so are they allowed to travel to Wales & Scotland to visit a zoo?
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No - you can legally enter them, but then can only travel 5 miles for leisure reasons as once you're in, local rules apply. Entering them at all for anything other than necessary work reasons is discouraged. For another 2 weeks, at least..!
 
Maguari said:
No - you can legally enter them, but then can only travel 5 miles for leisure reasons as once you're in, local rules apply. Entering them at all for anything other than necessary work reasons is discouraged. For another 2 weeks, at least..!
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If you live in Wales within five miles of the English border, can you drive into England and then go as far as you like. I guess so?
 
Mablethorpe Seal Sanctuary & Wildlife Centre re-opens on Monday 22nd - and unusually, they don't have a pre-booking system in place. Apparently they cannot afford to set one up. Its a one-way system around the site and only three people allowed in the shop at once, however.

On a slightly related note, I see you don't have to book in advance to visit Cotswold Wildlife Park and it sounds like its chaos today with big queues to get in, unsurprisingly!
 
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