Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo News 2010

[Shorts]

If the current management are doing such a bad job and zoo finances are so low , how is it that they are still there?

Just because it's still there is hardly proof that the management isn't doing a bad job and finances aren't low. Without being alarmist Lehman Brothers was "still there" until it wasn't. Trust me, I work in business, an ailing organisation can carry on a long time before an ultimate collapse (again, I'm not saying Twycross is at this point, just that it's continued existence doesn't mean everything's "hunky dory")

Obviously it could not have been easy for anyone to follow in the footsteps of the previous directors who left the zoo in a healthy financial state and a happy contented staff

Where's the sarcasm smilie? I'm sorry, I can't think of much better footsteps to follow in than a healthy financial state and happy contented staff. People have took over, and started afresh, collections without those advantages and made a decent fist of things, Twycross has not.

what then has gone wrong?

Good question. I have heard certain information and (yes) rumours, but I do not have a complete picture so will refrain from commenting at this point.

 

[TARZAN]

Thank You very much for this information, do you know exactly how much was lost in the Leimans affair.? One thing that sticks in my mind, and please forgive me for sticking my nose into the zoos business was three years ago just thirteen days after the death of Miss Badham I visited the zoo and there was a function taking place to commemorate the opening of the recently restored Norton Grange, the thought did cross my mind that money should have been spent on the chimps before spending a fortune on this, Hope the financial situation picks up for Twycross so that all the decent staff and all the animals have a secure future.

 

[BjoernN]

1,2 bonobos will travel from Twycross to Germany next year. Any concrete information or idea who??

 

[Bele]

I believe a total of £3.5 million was written off from the Lehman investment though it is possible at least some of this might be recovered in future .

I am sure Miss Badham would never have made such an investment .

 

[TARZAN]

I'm sure not, £3.5 million, that could have built the chimps a fantastic new home.Molly Badham's book "Chimps with everything is dedicated"To Nathalie without whose financial firmness we would never have survived". How very sad.

 

[Shorts]

I'm sure not, £3.5 million, that could have built the chimps a fantastic new home.Molly Badham's book "Chimps with everything is dedicated"To Nathalie without whose financial firmness we would never have survived". How very sad.

True that.

 

[zoogiraffe]

I'm sure not, £3.5 million, that could have built the chimps a fantastic new home.Molly Badham's book "Chimps with everything is dedicated"To Nathalie without whose financial firmness we would never have survived". How very sad.

Fraid its true its all there in Black and White in the Annual Report 2008.

 

[Bele]

It is very sad that the cash reserves that were so carefully built up over the years were just lost like this .

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

If financial management would have been sound, one would never have invested in toxic dangerous shares - meaning shares that go up and down like the meling snow -. If at all, one should have invested in govt. bonds which are safe and a guaranteed income. The fact that this has not been adhered to exemplifies what is wrong. You cannot be more away from the essence of a zoo by becoming an investor in shares. If anything, one should invest in the zoo and improvements, that is a sound investment that will keep the punters coming back. Believe me, I work in business too, so I should know a thing or 2 about them

 

[rubymurray]

I think if you look at the report they would actually have just about broken even without the 2.5 million that they received from EMDA last year, and they did make an investment themselves. I do think some people are a little harsh on here and whilst I don't by any means believe that they have done everything perfectly since the new management took the helm, I do believe decent progress has been made.

Forgetting the major investments such as Himalaya, which I have expressed my opinion about on here before and can't be bothered to debate again (because most of you guys disagree with me ), I do like the improvements that have been made elsewhere. It's clear from the 2008 and 2009 reports that they have significantly improved the retail and catering offering, the coverage and quality of the education department and have created a conservation fund that is actively investing in in situ projects and has been for a few years now. They have also identified the 5 primate species that they want to focus on helping in the future. None of these areas received a great deal of focus prior to the current regime and to my mind they must be an essential part of a good zoo/conservation organisation.

What I also find a bit rough is that criticism is being levelled at the zoo management for investing in the Lehman Brothers, an investment that prior to the banking crisis would not have been considered high risk. With hindsight it's easy to criticise but there are thousands and thousands of people/organisations who have lost money from the collapse wishing they had the benefit of hindsight right now. The fact is they have been unlucky. To argue that the previous regime would never have jeopardised the zoo by making such a rash investment is hollow in my opinion, because we all know that if the old regime were still in charge then we wouldn't be on here discussing innovative buildings like Himalaya (love it or hate it). Twycross would still have piles of cash in the bank and we would be discussing the latest timber clad primate exhibit or red brick ape house or Lion Enclosure that is too small for Lions because they wouldn't spend the cash on a proper one. Innovation back then was putting a timber clad shelter over the house windows so we didn't get wet! I'm not suggesting anybody here has expressed this opinion but it's been said many times that the previous regime was responsible for the status quo that existed at Twycross for so long, and despite their dedication to conservation they did not invest in the best exhibits for their animals and they did not invest in conservation projects outside of the zoo when they had the means to do so. I'm sure they cared a great deal and their husbandry techniques were good (not best person to comment on this!), however, they did not spend the money that they needed to spend and if they were still in charge now Twycross would be largely the same zoo as it was 10 years ago.

 

[Shorts]

What I also find a bit rough is that criticism is being levelled at the zoo management for investing in the Lehman Brothers, an investment that prior to the banking crisis would not have been considered high risk. With hindsight it's easy to criticise but there are thousands and thousands of people/organisations who have lost money from the collapse wishing they had the benefit of hindsight right now. The fact is they have been unlucky. To argue that the previous regime would never have jeopardised the zoo by making such a rash investment is hollow in my opinion

There's a fair point in there, but whilst the bad luck is part of the ebb and flow of life I would question the wisdom of keeping most of the "eggs in one basket".

 

[Jurek7]

I see people feel very strongly about Twycross.

Maybe I start the discussion: write what would you first change in Twycross, and what exhibits would you build, and how should they look like?

 

[rubymurray]

I'd also appreciate clarification on this because I think the surplus for the year is excluding the grant. Net incoming resources for 2009 were £2,423,932 and this figure includes the donations.

 

[Shorts]

I'd also appreciate clarification on this because I think the surplus for the year is excluding the grant. Net incoming resources for 2009 were £2,423,932 and this figure includes the donations.

I think you could be right, my confusion has arisen because income and expenditure and consolidated financial activities (which one would expect to include the grant) show profit/surplus of only £349,640 and £255,451 respectively -I'm not sure where the grant has been allocated (there's a fun mission for the weekend).

I've removed my original post, to avoid misleading and causing unnecessary alarm, although it was caveated, and would be grateful if you could remove my quote from your post for the same reasons.

Moral: don't post incendiary comments when knackered

 

[TARZAN]

Most interesting comments from Rubymurray, Agree with most of what you say about Twycross and its present management, however let us not forget the excellent work done by the previous directors, building the zoo we have today from the small beginnings of the pet shop. Let us hope Twycross can put its troubles behind them and look forward to its 50th birthday in 2013 with confidence, and what a better way to celebrate this than the Molly Badham primate center. As for Mr. trust me I am in business with a knackered printer, may I give some advice, get your facts right before you attempt to put the sand cat amongst the pink pigeons.

 

[Shorts]

As for Mr. trust me I am in business with a knackered printer, may I give some advice, get your facts right before you attempt to put the sand cat amongst the pink pigeons.

Nothing like a little graciousness in victory

I caveated my remark and corrected and apologised as soon as I could.

Also, don't be taking too much victory in my mistake in a comment to rubymurray -I still parried all your points

Even given my error in the details, I stand by the general statement that Twycross' finances aren't great at the moment and the management has been poor.

I think you will find that the new chimp exhibit will soon materialise.

Let us hope Twycross can put its troubles behind them and look forward to its 50th birthday in 2013 with confidence, and what a better way to celebrate this than the Molly Badham primate center.

Has soon slipped to 2013 now? Are you a glacier?

what a better way to celebrate this than the Molly Badham primate center.

Here's something we can see eye to eye on, though I'm sceptical it'll happen. Tell you what, if it happens I'll buy you a meal (including drink and pudding) on the opening day, if it doesn't come 1st January 2014 you can make a donation of the same value to the construction of the exhibit. Deal?

 

[rubymurray]

I think you could be right, my confusion has arisen because income and expenditure and consolidated financial activities (which one would expect to include the grant) show profit/surplus of only £349,640 and £255,451 respectively -I'm not sure where the grant has been allocated (there's a fun mission for the weekend).

I've removed my original post, to avoid misleading and causing unnecessary alarm, although it was caveated, and would be grateful if you could remove my quote from your post for the same reasons.

Moral: don't post incendiary comments when knackered

Quote removed! It is quite confusing, I'm by no means an accountant myself!

 

[Shorts]

Quote removed! It is quite confusing, I'm by no means an accountant myself!

The embarassing thing is that I am (though I was off duty at the time)

 

[TARZAN]

Very good Mr. Shorts, I'm enjoying this, so the current score is 30 15 to myself! I shall look forward to our celebration dinner at Himalaya, perhaps Becky and Mekundi could join us and make up a foursome. No prizes for guessing what we will have to drink, regarding the pudding, could you ensure that it has been well stirred! Best wishes.

 

[zoogiraffe]

Very good Mr. Shorts, I'm enjoying this, so the current score is 30 15 to myself! I shall look forward to our celebration dinner at Himalaya, perhaps Becky and Mekundi could join us and make up a foursome. No prizes for guessing what we will have to drink, regarding the pudding, could you ensure that it has been well stirred! Best wishes.

Actually i would not be so sure that you will be collecting your winnings on this at anytime for various reasons I CANNOT say why on here,but lets just say there alot of things going on at Twycross which most people would never believe could be happening in one of the UK`s top Zoo`s!!