Bristol Zoo (Closed) bristol zoo - appalling!

[bazzoobuilder]

Bristol Zoo

I was born about one street away from Bristol zoo and was taken there as a baby by my parents, who went most weeks, until we moved to another part of Bristol (I was about seven then I’m sixty now). I have been an annual member or at least visited once a year for my entire life (Even during some years when I lived out of Bristol), so you could say I’m an established supporter.
I have seen a lot of changes there (as with most zoos) many of then for the better, like the removal of bear pits and small gorilla cages. I was sorry to see some go like the elephant rides and animals walking round the zoo but to improve animal welfare it was undoubtedly necessary.
Personally I’m not convinced that was the case with the monkey temple. I think they loved it running in and out of the doors, put one in their native environment and it would be packed in no time.
I was also sorry that so many trees had to come down and there is defiantly nothing like the gardens there used to be, but how about the sea lions and penguins, that’s a Wow for starters.

I now have the pleasure of working in another zoo set in beautiful countryside and ten times bigger, but I would still recommend Bristol zoo to everybody.
It’s part of Bristol’s history and still a beautiful place to visit.

 

[Pertinax]

r or at least visited once a year for my entire life.... so you could say I’m an established supporter.

Personally I’m not convinced that was the case with the monkey temple. I think they loved it running in and out of the doors, put one in their native environment and it would be packed in no time.

I have similar connections(though sadly never a Bristol resident) since an early age and great fondness for the Zoo as a result. I think it has simply evolved with the times, both in style of enclosures and the dramatic reduction of the amazing array of(larger) species they once used to keep.

I rather agree about the Monkey Temple- it was a sad loss in its original form. The Rhesus Monkeys were completely at home in it too and its just a sort of lifeless monument since they left. I can still remember the noise those little swing doors made too.

 

[bazzoobuilder]

I think Bristol zoo isn’t playing to its best suits by increasing play equipment and letting the standard of the gardens drop. The gardens used to be magnificent and very popular in their own rite.
They have the finances to be able to use technology and quality materials to make exceptional enclosures and still have a core of established trees and plants to again be an excellent botanical garden.

 

[Pertinax]

I think Bristol zoo isn’t playing to its best suits by increasing play equipment and letting the standard of the gardens drop.

The areas of play equipment is what I like least about Bristol nowadays- because its a small acreage it seems particularly intrusive but as I've commented before, the accent there nowadays does seem as much on children having 'fun' as enjoying seeing interesting animals.

 

[SMR]

The gardens used to be magnificent and very popular in their own rite.

Bristol's gardens may be on the wane, but they've still a long way to go to match the tragic decline of Chester's, which over the past ten years under the current curator have gone from being the finest in the country to a colourless wasteland of bark and dead tree stumps.

Bristol still have colourful displays, a great herbaceous border, lots of specimen trees and some lovely themed planting.

 

[redstarsmith]

I would support a lot of Leiclad mentioned about Bristol from 2 years ago. I was a huge fan of Animal Magic and Johnny Morris is a hero of mine. I have been waiting to visit Bristol for 30 years and I can only say I was hugely disappointed. My first concern was the admission price. I thought that Chester Zoo was a rip off but I can now say that Chester is the best value for money Zoo in the UK. Chester @ £16.30 and Bristol @ £14.50. For the size and collection that price is appalling. I think that numbers visiting would more than balance out the cost of each Zoos collection.

All the Zoos I have visited have pandered to the children which I have no concerns about at all. The more they are involved in any way the better. My concern is why are the kids more interested in the playground then the animals. Doesn't that suggest a huge problem with the Zoos in the UK?

The exhibits looked tired and not one of them looked state of the art which I feel hugely let down considering the admission price. I must admit the Nocturnal House was excellent but sadly I didn't get to see an Aye-Aye which is one of those things and I can not blame a Zoo for that. There are lots of interesting species and it certainly isn't an identikit Zoo.

The whole experience was summed up for me when leaving. Directly opposite the Lions was a member of the Zoo staff selling balloons. It was alright to queue up and buy a £5 balloon or go to the shop and spend 20 mins buying merchandise in the shop. However, to stop directly opposite the balloon seller to watch the Lions (active for the first time that day) was not allowed because the Zoo was closed. I found that rude and unnecessary especially as several children were involved. I can think of many ways to usher out visitors rather than shouting at them to get out. If you are closing the Zoo close the whole Zoo including those areas that you can still try and fleece even more money from your visitors. After spending a lot of money at Bristol Zoo that attitude means that I will not be making a return trip again.

 

[pipaluk]

I would support a lot of Leiclad mentioned about Bristol from 2 years ago. I was a huge fan of Animal Magic and Johnny Morris is a hero of mine. I have been waiting to visit Bristol for 30 years and I can only say I was hugely disappointed. My first concern was the admission price. I thought that Chester Zoo was a rip off but I can now say that Chester is the best value for money Zoo in the UK. Chester @ £16.30 and Bristol @ £14.50. For the size and collection that price is appalling. I think that numbers visiting would more than balance out the cost of each Zoos collection.
All the Zoos I have visited have pandered to the children which I have no concerns about at all. The more they are involved in any way the better. My concern is why are the kids more interested in the playground then the animals. Doesn't that suggest a huge problem with the Zoos in the UK?
The exhibits looked tired and not one of them looked state of the art which I feel hugely let down considering the admission price. I must admit the Nocturnal House was excellent but sadly I didn't get to see an Aye-Aye which is one of those things and I can not blame a Zoo for that. There are lots of interesting species and it certainly isn't an identikit Zoo.QUOTE



I think what represents value for money is relative & to some extent down to personal taste. You cant really compare the price at Bristol to Chester or say Edinbugh,given their location. The entrance fee at Bristol is fairly average for southern england, for what most would consider an above average collection. Compared to zsl zoos or the Aspinall parks(all over£20), which i wouldn't say are over priced, Bristol's fee is roughly right.
I would consider Banham or Africa Alive worse value at£18 for certainly no better collections than Bristol. Others that ive found overpriced wereParadise WP & worse still, Shepreth. The latter two have plenty of competition yet still overcharge in relation to their rivals. The best value from memory in the south in my opinion would be Colchester, one of the best in the Uk yet cheaper than other top zoos in the south & not much more expensive than Bristol(from memory,though i dont pay at either, so may be wrong now).
For rip off value i don't think you can beat the SeaLife centres!

 

[Johnny Morris.]

I don't think Bristol is excessive at all and is good value for money. Mind you i wouldn't pay the Voluntary donation, i've stopped doing this now at all zoos, because you can rest assured most want you to make more donations once you are in. Redstarsmith, out of interest what time did you arrive at Bristol?

 

[redstarsmith]

I think that you can and should compare admission prices to Zoos and that many comparisons are beyond relative. Admission to Zoos world wide seems totally arbitrary and if you are comparing London to Bristol then you can certainly compare Bristol to Chester because it is only an extra 40 miles in distance. Is the price of corn that much more in Bristol than Chester? I would happily pay double or triple the price for excellence but I didn't see it.

I certainly take your point that there are far worse value Zoos in the UK including the SeaLife Centres. I also agree with your point about an above average collection but I don't think that really makes a huge impact with the kids. Bristol has an really, really interesting collection and yet to me is aiming for the family market. I would argue that the kids swinging area is in far better condition and has had far more money spent on it than any of the enrichment frames/bars/climbing areas found in the exhibits.

 

[redstarsmith]

Johnny Morris I arrived at 2pm.

 

[Maguari]

How many zoo visits do you make in a year? A Chester membership costs me £61 by direct debit and gives you unlimited free visits to Chester, and at least one annual visit to Belfast, Bristol, Colchester, Dublin, Edinburgh, Fota, Marwell, Newquay, Paignton, Living Coasts, Twycross and Woburn. With most permutations of that you'd start saving money on the fourth visit so well worth considering.

 

[redstarsmith]

Hi Maguari, I try to make as many as can. But as I live on the Isle Of Man and so it is dependent upon when I come over. I will look into a Chester Zoo membership especially as I was unaware of any reciprocal arrangement with the other Zoos. Thanks very much for the information.

 

[pipaluk]

I think that you can and should compare admission prices to Zoos and that many comparisons are beyond relative. Admission to Zoos world wide seems totally arbitrary and if you are comparing London to Bristol then you can certainly compare Bristol to Chester because it is only an extra 40 miles in distance. Is the price of corn that much more in Bristol than Chester? I would happily pay double or triple the price for excellence but I didn't see it.

I certainly take your point that there are far worse value Zoos in the UK including the SeaLife Centres. I also agree with your point about an above average collection but I don't think that really makes a huge impact with the kids. Bristol has an really, really interesting collection and yet to me is aiming for the family market. I would argue that the kids swinging area is in far better condition and has had far more money spent on it than any of the enrichment frames/bars/climbing areas found in the exhibits.

I have given my views on the rope trail & dinosaurs etc on the main Bristol thread & i agree totally on that subject!

Chester,regardless of distance from London is the main & only large zoo in the north-west & probably from my experience draws at least 50% of its visitors from Merseyside or Greater Manchester, hardly wealthy Tory heartlands like the majority of england south of chester gitself! If Chester charged the £20+ it is probably worth compared to many, it would lose many of those visitors, whilst wages & building costs are higher in the south in the main.

 

[Pertinax]

I must admit the Nocturnal House was excellent but sadly I didn't get to see an Aye-Aye which is one of those things and I can not blame a Zoo for that.

I can think of many ways to usher out visitors rather than shouting at them to get out.

Its possible one reason you didn't see an AyeAye is because the illumination of the enclosures in the Nocturnal House is so poor- the Zoo could certainly improve the way they are lit. I think people just accept it because its a nocturnal house so the animals must be hard to see, mustn't they?- but it doesn't have to be like that.

Historically Bristol always seems to have closed like that (though I am not condoning it)- in the 1950's keepers would walk through the animal houses half an hour before the zoo closed yelling 'closing now please!' this seems to be just a modern version of that. Zoos, like other organisations, have their own little cultures which are handed down from one generation of staff and management to the next.

Regarding playgrounds in zoos- I think if there was less play opportunity, then the childen might pay more attention to the animal exhibits. IMO playgrounds act as a distraction in zoos but are provided because they seem to be deemed necessary.

 

[redstarsmith]

Wow Pipaluk nice stereotyping about the great North South divide.

 

[pipaluk]

Its possible one reason you didn't see an AyeAye is because the illumination of the enclosures in the Nocturnal House is so poor- the Zoo could certainly improve the way they are lit. I think people just accept it because its a nocturnal house so the animals must be hard to see, mustn't they?- but it doesn't have to be like that.

Historically Bristol always seems to have closed like that (though I am not condoning it)- in the 1950's keepers would walk through the animal houses half an hour before the zoo closed yelling 'closing now please!' this seems to be just a modern version of that. Zoos, like other organisations, have their own little cultures which are handed down from one generation of staff and management to the next.

Regarding playgrounds in zoos- I think if there was less play opportunity, then the childen might pay more attention to the animal exhibits. IMO playgrounds act as a distraction in zoos but are provided because they seem to be deemed necessary.

Although you may be right re: the lighting, i got the best view of an Ayeaye i've ever had at Bristol 3 years ago & we watched it for 15 minutes at the back of the enclosure, it also afforded excellent views of some other
species, i'm used to Marwell's sand cats so Bristol was great!

I havent experienced this treatment at closing time anywhere, in fact i've left both zsl zoos nearly half hour after without anyone saying a word!

Playgrounds may be a necessary evil, but in a zoo the size of Bristol, the rope trail is a step too far & i've said enough before about the dinosaurs!

 

[pipaluk]

Wow Pipaluk nice stereotyping about the great North South divide.

Like it or not its true and i'm almost ashamed to say i live in those Tory heartlands, but i can proudly say i've never voted for them!

 

[Pertinax]

Although you may be right re: the lighting, i got the best view of an Ayeaye i've ever had at Bristol 3 years ago & we watched it for 15 minutes at the back of the enclosure, it also afforded excellent views of some other
species,

I have had very good views in the past of the AyeAyes at Bristol too- but the last time I went, earlier this year, I noticed the enclosure was very dark (and so were some others)- one Aye Aye was active but you could not see it properly at all apart from a moving shape. Maybe they have changed the light settings.

 

[redstarsmith]

Liverpool or Greater Manchester, hardly wealthy- I'm so glad you've given me an education today.

 

[pipaluk]

Although you may be right re: the lighting, i got the best view of an Ayeaye i've ever had at Bristol 3 years ago & we watched it for 15 minutes at the back of the enclosure, it also afforded excellent views of some other
species,

I have had very good views in the past of the AyeAyes at Bristol too- but the last time I went, earlier this year, I noticed the enclosure was very dark (and so were some others)- one Aye Aye was active but you could not see it properly at all apart from a moving shape. Maybe they have changed the light settings.

That's fair comment then, perhaps i'm overdue a visit, may go later this month while i'm in the south-west, but was planning on going to Paignton/Living Coasts & may not manage both.