UK zoos & lockdown going forward...

Mattaki said:
What actually is the justification of forcing zoos to close but keeping stately homes and the like open? Is there even one at all?
Click to expand...

The stately "homes" are closed; the grounds are allowed to open, as I understand it.

I assume the logic is that even if you close all enclosed or partially enclosed areas in zoos (and that would involve closing off large chunks of some zoos) people would still congregate. People would gather round visible giraffes (e.g.) at Chester* in a way they wouldn't around a tree or feature at a National Trust property.
 
SHAVINGTONZOO said:
The stately "homes" are closed; the grounds are allowed to open, as I understand it.

I assume the logic is that even if you close all enclosed or partially enclosed areas in zoos (and that would involve closing off large chunks of some zoos) people would still congregate. People would gather round visible giraffes (e.g.) at Chester* in a way they wouldn't around a tree or feature at a National Trust property.
Click to expand...
Possibly, but I still think that is a poor excuse. People at these places can still use the toilets and cafés are probably open for takeaways, the car parks are busy, plenty of reasons for close contact. I don't think they should be allowed to open when nowhere else is, there doesn't appear to be any real logic behind much of what that the government does.
 
Colchester Zoo have today released on their website an honest insight into their current position. They have made a loss of nearly £4 million from 2019 to 2020; there has been a 40% reduction in visitor numbers from 2019; all developments and conservation funding has had to be stopped and there have been redundancies from the development and commercial departments.

More information can be found below:
An honest insight into the zoo's current position | Colchester Zoo
 
Andrew Swales said:
Thank you Crowthorne. Link works fine, although a full Google search still does not show it on any of our machines. It raises more questions, and answers none - for us anyway. Maybe BIAZA and its membership do have more info...?
Click to expand...
The '24 zoos' statement is mentioned only once, early on, and then not again. With no further details/sources either.
 
Last edited:
Crowthorne said:
The article is in the i. It doesn't say which 24 are at risk.

24 zoos face closure as just £5m of £100m support fund paid out by Government
Click to expand...
This article (and others the same on other news sites) are rewritten from a BIAZA news release (here: Zoos desperate as £95 million of support could ‘disappear’ | Biaza). As it was a survey amongst their members I don't think they would release the names of the zoos - that would probably be at the individual zoos' discretion.
 
DesertRhino150 said:
Colchester Zoo have today released on their website an honest insight into their current position. They have made a loss of nearly £4 million from 2019 to 2020; there has been a 40% reduction in visitor numbers from 2019; all developments and conservation funding has had to be stopped and there have been redundancies from the development and commercial departments.

More information can be found below:
An honest insight into the zoo's current position | Colchester Zoo
Click to expand...
Colchester have always been among the most open of UK zoos regarding sharing information. I hope this will benefit them in some way.
 
Chlidonias said:
This article (and others the same on other news sites) are rewritten from a BIAZA news release (here: Zoos desperate as £95 million of support could ‘disappear’ | Biaza). As it was a survey amongst their members I don't think they would release the names of the zoos - that would probably be at the individual zoos' discretion.
Click to expand...
Yes, I didn't really expect them to say which ones, but felt it was a slightly throwaway statement at the beginning to catch attention, but then not commented on further.
 
One thing I have just noticed on Facebook - Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland seems to still be open, although only to local residents and with no entry charge (although there is a donation box by the entrance); they are open between 10am and 4pm to provide a place for locals to exercise during lockdown.
 
Chlidonias said:
This article (and others the same on other news sites) are rewritten from a BIAZA news release (here: Zoos desperate as £95 million of support could ‘disappear’ | Biaza). As it was a survey amongst their members I don't think they would release the names of the zoos - that would probably be at the individual zoos' discretion.
Click to expand...
Yes, it did look as though BIAZA was the source... but their piece is confusing. It says 24 BIAZA members will close in the next 12 months, and that 28 zoos accessed funds under the ZooFund; but does not say how many of these if any, are part of the 24 and if the help they received was part of the first or second round of the ZooFund - as the details of and qualifications for each were quite different.
DesertRhino150 said:
One thing I have just noticed on Facebook - Five Sisters Zoo in Scotland seems to still be open, although only to local residents and with no entry charge (although there is a donation box by the entrance); they are open between 10am and 4pm to provide a place for locals to exercise during lockdown.
Click to expand...
Presumably the situation in Scotland must be different? Certainly zoos, and all other 'animal attractions' in England are specifically closed, and are not now permitted exercise destinations (despite the 24 December SI) as they were in November but not from March/June.
 
Last edited:
Andrew Swales said:
Presumably the situation in Scotland must be different? Certainly zoos, and all other 'animal attractions' in England are specifically closed, and are not now permitted exercise destinations (despite the 24 December SI) as they were in November but not from March/June.
Click to expand...

Would be breaking the law if in England so presumably must be different ruling up there.
 
Andrew Swales said:
Yes, it did look as though BIAZA was the source... but their piece is confusing. It says 24 BIAZA members will close in the next 12 months, and that 28 zoos accessed funds under the ZooFund; but does not say how many of these if any, are part of the 24 and if the help they received was part of the first or second round of the ZooFund - as the details of and qualifications for each were quite different.

Presumably the situation in Scotland must be different? Certainly zoos, and all other 'animal attractions' in England are specifically closed, and are not now permitted exercise destinations (despite the 24 December SI) as they were in November but not from March/June.
Click to expand...

Zoo's in Scotland are not required to close, however with the current travel restrictions (your not supposed to leave your local authority area unless for an essential purpose) I believe Five Sisters is the only one that has remained open.
 
Wingham were doing a live tour when this was announced. They sound concerned that this means another Easter will be missed.
 
Crowthorne said:
Wingham were doing a live tour when this was announced. They sound concerned that this means another Easter will be missed.
Click to expand...

Yes, it's good that there's a date to work to, but it's a real shame that they're not allowed to open from when the 'stay local' advice is lifted on the 29th March, which would have let them get some Easter holidays trade.
 
Maguari said:
(Outdoor elements of) English zoos
Click to expand...

Actually, just noticed museums are due to re-open at the same time, so it's probably not just outdoor areas.

EDIT: Actually again, two different BBC articles seem to be contradictory on this - so one to check later and see which is right..! :D
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top