Blackpool Zoo Blackpool Zoo News 2021

Pootle said:
Picky aren't you :)

I don't see it that way tbh, buying food on the premises, gift shop stuff etc, is essential donating to the benefit of the zoo.

When SLWP did free winter entry we made a point of buying some drinks and buying a few bits to donate some extra revenue to them.
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Looking at it that way makes me quite the philanthropist, with considerable donanations each month to my landlord, Shell, Lidl and the Dutch government :)
 
jwer said:
Looking at it that way makes me quite the philanthropist, with considerable donanations each month to my landlord, Shell, Lidl and the Dutch government :)
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See, now you understand better, you feel better about yourself :):p:)

And no slacking on your Lidl donations as I am quite fond of them myself.
 
Quincey said:
I'm not picky at all, I simply understand the difference between a donation and a purchase :)
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Good, then maybe you can see that some of the gross profit from the shop, restaurants etc, can be and is used to improve the zoo to some degree. Therefore people (the thoughtful ones I add) like you who spend extra on food, drink and gifts etc, are giving the zoo extra profit, much like someone chucking a few quid in a donation box.
 
Pootle said:
I don't see it that way tbh, buying food on the premises, gift shop stuff etc, is essential donating to the benefit of the zoo.
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The difference between purchasing something and donating is that the amount (let's say ten pounds) goes fully to the zoo if you donate that, but if you spend ten pounds at the cafe or gift shop the amount that the zoo actually "profits" is pretty minimal because the items you purchased had to be bought by the zoo in the first place. So you are only fooling yourself by saying that you are donating that money by spending it there.
 
There is a material difference between spending money at a charity enterprise such as RZSS or a commercial one such as Parques Reunidos though!

You're not going to give extra money to a company that's taking a profit out of their earnings beyond what the goods or services cost - however much we approve of Blackpool Zoo, Faunia or Walsrode, and want them to succeed. You would 'donate' only if they have a dedicated fund for a particular cause (which in these cases I would only expect to apply to their supported conservation projects, not general operations and development funds).

EDIT: Sorry, @Chlidonias - we cross-posted - that was a contribution to the general discussion, not a response to your post. :)
 
Chlidonias said:
The difference between purchasing something and donating is that the amount (let's say ten pounds) goes fully to the zoo if you donate that, but if you spend ten pounds at the cafe or gift shop the amount that the zoo actually "profits" is pretty minimal because the items you purchased had to be bought by the zoo in the first place. So you are only fooling yourself by saying that you are donating that money by spending it there.
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Bit harsh saying fooling myself! Anyhow...

Your missing my point here. Say 'The Qunicey Family' spent £50 at the zoo on food, drinks and gifts in addition to the £50 entry fee, then they are donating more to the zoos gross profit than say the 'Pootle Family' who only spent £50 on zoo entry, took a packed lunch and no gift shop money.
 
Pootle said:
Your missing my point here. Say 'The Qunicey Family' spent £50 at the zoo on food, drinks and gifts in addition to the £50 entry fee, then they are donating more to the zoos gross profit than say the 'Pootle Family' who only spent £50 on zoo entry, took a packed lunch and no gift shop money.
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None of that is a donation though! I think we are just arguing semantics here but it's an important difference.

The first family are spending more money and it can be assumed the zoo won't be selling snacks and gifts at a loss so will end up with at least some extra money but the family are still not 'donating' anything as they are getting goods and services in return.

That's why charity zoos have to have an 'optional donation' on top of their entrance fees to qualify for Gift Aid - the basic entrance fee is paying a fee for a service (access to the zoo) and the transaction has to include an explicit donation (voluntary and with nothing provided in return) for Gift Aid to apply.
 
Pootle said:
Bit harsh saying fooling myself! Anyhow...

Your missing my point here. Say 'The Qunicey Family' spent £50 at the zoo on food, drinks and gifts in addition to the £50 entry fee, then they are donating more to the zoos gross profit than say the 'Pootle Family' who only spent £50 on zoo entry, took a packed lunch and no gift shop money.
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But if the Pootle family took a packed lunch, bought nothing in the gift shop, and donated £50 directly to the zoo, then they gave more than the Quincey family did when they spent that £50 on goods at the zoo. That's because giving a donation to a zoo isn't the same as spending money at a zoo.

Edit: and, yes, now I am cross-posting with @Maguari. Turns and roundabouts, or whatever that English saying is and whatever it means...
 
Chlidonias said:
Edit: and, yes, now I am cross-posting with @Maguari. Turns and roundabouts, or whatever that English saying is and whatever it means...
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"Swings and roundabouts" is where you're aiming. Means everything comes back around eventually. ;)
 
Chlidonias said:
But if the Pootle family took a packed lunch, bought nothing in the gift shop, and donated £50 directly to the zoo, then they gave more than the Quincey family did when they spent that £50 on goods at the zoo. That's because giving a donation to a zoo isn't the same as spending money at a zoo.

Edit: and, yes, now I am cross-posting with @Maguari. Turns and roundabouts, or whatever that English saying is and whatever it means...
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At least one thing we can all agree on is that it is swings and roundabouts, that is positive, which incidentally means - a situation in which different actions or options result in no eventual gain or loss (now I read it I can see where this is going.....:D)_



However, if the Qunicey family (who I am sure are lovely) go to said restaurant and spend say £50 then they are giving / contributing / providing / bequeathing - aka donating to the gross profits of the zoo much more so that the Pootle family who took their own food and bought nothing at the zoo (as the Dad is a bit mean).

So, therefore zoos have gifts shops and cafes, for peoples needs but mainly to make extra income which is an indirect donation (contributing extra money) to the zoo when the visitors spend their cash at these facilities....
 
You could email or message the zoo to see if they will send you a copy of their most recent species list. It can be a bit hit-or-miss, but it is the best way to get a good idea of what they have.
 
A friend of mine recently went to Blackpool Zoo with her family, I haven't been since I was a teenager in the mid 2000's so I was unaware of many of the changes they've made, so I was impressed when she showed me photos of the new elephant enclosure. I'm planning a visit early next year, either in February (assuming everything is still open in February) or May. From what I've heard their Lemur walkthrough is still closed, but for those who go regularly, can the lemurs still be seen at all from outside the walkthrough?
 
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