Edinburgh Zoo Edinburgh Zoo News 2014

Animal Friendly said:
I was just about to comment on Simon's recent post but I now see has deleted it!, I will answer anyway:), I agree that if the zoo did not charge parking then the car park would probably fill up with cars owned by people not visiting the zoo, £4 however is too expensive, why not do as my local Asda does, pay a parking charge, get a ticket from a machine and present it at the cash desk when paying for your purchases, the parking fee is then deducted from your bill. Also I do not find the justification for the food served at this zoo being mediocre, as well as over priced I may add being valid when suggested that everywhere in Edinburgh is serving overpriced, sub standard food, if that is the case, I thought this was The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, not some burger and chips joint, with an attitude like this I am therefore not surprised that people who I have spoken to regarding their visitor experience were not exactly satisfied, and that is before they comment on a very poor show regarding the actual animals on show.
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playing devil's advocate aye, its compass who do the food, not the zoo, but at the same time, the zoo manages the contract and should have long ago stepped in and noted that the mediocre quality of food and high prices reflects very negatively on the zoo's image. they have had plenty of opportunities and volunteers stating stuff to them but surprisingly, the prices continue to go up whilst the quantity of food on the plate goes down
 
RicaFan said:
playing devil's advocate aye, its compass who do the food, not the zoo, but at the same time, the zoo manages the contract and should have long ago stepped in and noted that the mediocre quality of food and high prices reflects very negatively on the zoo's image. they have had plenty of opportunities and volunteers stating stuff to them but surprisingly, the prices continue to go up whilst the quantity of food on the plate goes down
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So the food is just like the animal collection, the price continues to go up to see them while the quantity continues to go down:), and for what purpose?, to pat the Chinaman his twelve grand a week when knocking to collect the rent!
 
Animal Friendly said:
So the food is just like the animal collection, the price continues to go up to see them while the quantity continues to go down:), and for what purpose?, to pat the Chinaman his twelve grand a week when knocking to collect the rent!
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quite so. i personally think its quite bad in many ways. visitors are paying the same price now as they were earlier in year despite lots of animals now being gone. but its also bad to ask so much for food on top of zoo admission etc
 
RicaFan said:
quite so. i personally think its quite bad in many ways. visitors are paying the same price now as they were earlier in year despite lots of animals now being gone. but its also bad to ask so much for food on top of zoo admission etc
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I understand the business reasoning behind zoos franchising the catering arrangements to outside caterers, in theory it makes good business sense, the zoo gets a fixed guaranteed income without having the hassle of cooking and serving the food themselves, employing the staff etc, in theory very good also in practice if the caterers do their job properly, if they don't this reflects on the zoo itself not a catering company, as far as the visitors are concerned they purchased the food at the zoo. Perhaps this is why the late director of a well known zoo always had in house catering arrangements, where the zoo itself had full control, indeed she was known on a busy day be found in the cafeteria serving meals and clearing tables herself:)
 
Animal Friendly said:
I understand the business reasoning behind zoos franchising the catering arrangements to outside caterers, in theory it makes good business sense, the zoo gets a fixed guaranteed income without having the hassle of cooking and serving the food themselves, employing the staff etc, in theory very good also in practice if the caterers do their job properly, if they don't this reflects on the zoo itself not a catering company, as far as the visitors are concerned they purchased the food at the zoo. Perhaps this is why the late director of a well known zoo always had in house catering arrangements, where the zoo itself had full control, indeed she was known on a busy day be found in the cafeteria serving meals and clearing tables herself:)
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there is an old addage that still rings true. to be a leader, you have to clean the toilets. without a doubt in my experience the best leaders of any company, organisation or charity are those who are grounded and are not above doing what even the lowest paid workers do - that way they get to really know their work structure
 
I've found the food to be pretty good the last couple of times I've eaten at the zoo - especially the resturaunt attached to the Mansion House (Opposite Red River hogs/Otters) - not cheap but the quality was excellent
 
Me too Dave. I also don't get the issue with £4 parking-cheap by Edinburgh standards for all day parking & easily avoided if wanted-the public transport links are good. Does anyone know who owns the car park given it's shared with the hotel?
 
Tunanta said:
Me too Dave. I also don't get the issue with £4 parking-cheap by Edinburgh standards for all day parking & easily avoided if wanted-the public transport links are good. Does anyone know who owns the car park given it's shared with the hotel?
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Me neither, it's a snip compared with London.
 
In many ways the zoo has not really recovered from all the fuss concerning the management, and "money issues" surrounding all of that, some time ago now.
The Giant Pandas were supposed to bring prosperity to the zoo, and in the short term perhaps they did, but now the novelty has almost passed, those very pandas are probably going to be the zoos possible downfall, unless they can breed them that is! But at the end of the day the zoo cannot, surely, sustain that kind of high cost long-term (without cubs), and it is this financial situation which is probably starting to show in the fact that animals are either disappearing ie; empty enclosures, or the costs of other aspects of the zoo are rising to try to keep pace and cope with the massive cost the pandas are causing the zoo. The zoo are stuck between a rock and a hard place, they are tied into a ten year contract, but the pandas must breed to make any of it worthwhile for the zoo. Otherwise money is just being given to the Chinese for the sake of exhibiting a non-breeding pair of pandas!
Yes they are nice animals but that won`t balance the books!!
 
What I find grimly amusing is the fact that the reason given for many of the species that have departed is that they were not "showy" enough for the average member of the public..... yet most of these species have not been replaced with other taxa, meaning enclosures which reward a little patience with real treasures have been replaced by enclosures which stand empty and crumbling!
 
TeaLovingDave said:
What I find grimly amusing is the fact that the reason given for many of the species that have departed is that they were not "showy" enough for the average member of the public..... yet most of these species have not been replaced with other taxa, meaning enclosures which reward a little patience with real treasures have been replaced by enclosures which stand empty and crumbling!
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that is one of the thing that frustrates me and a numbr of my colleagues most of all. getting rid of species because "nobody ever saw them". well thats all well and good but to then announce that at HWP there will be a area where Amur Leopards will not be seen is just a bit off, could have easily had off-show animals to focus on breeding, research and conservation
 
I quite believe this as well, visitors are only their for their money are they?, well it will be a very long time before they get any of mine thank you. A young lad who I know in his twenties took his partner and children to Edinburgh last year, cost him a three figure sum for petrol, admission/parking, meals etc. and he does not earn a fortune, I asked him his opinion of the visit knowingI would get a candid reply "Kev, it was s*** mate" was his reply, this year I recommended Blackpool,and I was pleased to hear that they had a good time,As for passing on information to visitors, didn't a member of the Edinburgh Zoo staff inform a member visitor a while ago that the red river hoglets "had died", when they had simply been destroyed as part of a breed to cull policy. I wonder if that member renewed her annual membership?
 
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Animal Friendly said:
I quite believe this as well, visitors are only their for their money are they?, well it will be a very long time before they get any of mine thank you. A young lad who I know in his twenties took his partner and children to Edinburgh last year, cost him a three figure sum for petrol, admission/parking, meals etc. and he does not earn a fortune, I asked him his opinion of the visit knowingI would get a candid reply "Kev, it was s*** mate" was his reply, this year I recommended Blackpool,and I was pleased to hear that they had a good time,As for passing on information to visitors, didn't a member of the Edinburgh Zoo staff inform a member visitor a while ago that the red river hoglets "had died", when they had simply been destroyed as part of a breed to cull policy. I wonder if that member renewed her annual membership?
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that was the case yes
 
Tunanta said:
Me too Dave. I also don't get the issue with £4 parking-cheap by Edinburgh standards for all day parking & easily avoided if wanted-the public transport links are good. Does anyone know who owns the car park given it's shared with the hotel?
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In the back of my mind, it's RZSS that own it and the Hotel gets to use the upper tiers out of hours - RZSS muight even own the land the hotel is on.
 
RicaFan said:
that was the case yes
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And I was quite literally given the lickings of a dog when I voiced my disgust on here from members regarding the red river hoglets being destroyed, apart from support from Pertinax and a gentleman who now writes under the name of Community Zoo.
 
ultimately i suppose the zoo needs change and fast if it is to survive and part of this change would involve getting rid of a lot of the management structure who are dragging the place down, and patronising visitors
 
RicaFan said:
that is one of the thing that frustrates me and a numbr of my colleagues most of all. getting rid of species because "nobody ever saw them". well thats all well and good but to then announce that at HWP there will be a area where Amur Leopards will not be seen is just a bit off, could have easily had off-show animals to focus on breeding, research and conservation
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Probably as the HWP has a very good and seasoned manager who knows his stuff and is in at the deepest end if need be!
 
Animal Friendly said:
Well perhaps this gentleman should not only be running HWP but Edinburgh Zoo also in the capacity of CEO.,I am sure he would do a damn good job.
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Something I've said in the past myself :p he's a bloody nice bloke, too.
 
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