Chester Zoo Catering and entrance changes

bongorob said:
Chester Zoo's Tsavo Cafe and Ark Restaurant are to be re-developed, and the entrance is to be moved southwards.

Chester Zoo to launch new mouth-watering menu > Family Fun > Living | Click Liverpool
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Does this mean they are starting the 'Beginnings' phase of Natural Vision with the new entrance? If I'm right, the plans showed the new entrance to be running between the elephant paddock and the Tsavo cafe itself. If this is the case, Elephants of the Asian Forest and half of the elephant paddock will technically be outside the zoo?

Do you know when work is due to start on the new entrance (mentions that the Ark will close in March, will it work on both at the same time?).
 
The timing seems rather odd. If the Ark is closing in March will it be open again in time for Easter (which admittedly is quite late this year)? I assume the Oakfield cafe will be open again by this point.

The restaurants can be very busy even on quiet days: it's going to be chaos while the Ark is shut.
 
Javan Rhino said:
If I'm right, the plans showed the new entrance to be running between the elephant paddock and the Tsavo cafe itself. If this is the case, Elephants of the Asian Forest and half of the elephant paddock will technically be outside the zoo?
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"Technically", no, because the zoo begins the moment you leave the A41, but it will be outside the paid area, the idea being to give people access to an enlarged entrance plaza free of charge. Originally, the concept involved all sorts of shopping outlets, but the planning office put a stop to that and all outlets now have to be zoo-related (thank goodness).

Personally, I can't imagine anyone making a trip to the zoo - which is not exactly in a busy location - just to drink coffee and wander around the shop. Most people who visit will be having a day in the zoo, so there doesn't seem to be much point of free access to the plaza.

I'd have to see more about the "food hall" concept for the Ark, but agree with Rob V, the timing is weird.
 
SMR said:
"Technically", no, because the zoo begins the moment you leave the A41, but it will be outside the paid area, the idea being to give people access to an enlarged entrance plaza free of charge. Originally, the concept involved all sorts of shopping outlets, but the planning office put a stop to that and all outlets now have to be zoo-related (thank goodness).
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That's what I mean :D. I look forward to seeing how it will all work out, particularly whether the general public can get to the Elephants of the Asian Forest without paying. The plans show turnstiles where the entrance is now, but if you have to pay to get through these then the Tsavo cafe is also within this area, defeating the purpose of moving the entrance?
 
Javan Rhino said:
The plans show turnstiles where the entrance is now, but if you have to pay to get through these then the Tsavo cafe is also within this area, defeating the purpose of moving the entrance?
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There are supposed to be sixteen new ticket booths (behind where the shop is now) and amongst other things a new membership/adoptions office, but free access is proposed to the plaza, viewing of the elephants and half of Café Tsavo. The elephant house does have two turnstiles to facilitate entry, it isn't clear whether they're for paid access or for crowd control only.

"The objective of the proposed entrance zone scheme is thatit [sic] will provide a new focus within the larger master plan and will enhance the public realm by allowing further economic and social activity to take place at the entrance to the zoo, during and out of zoo opening times."

"The new Zoo entrance zone is to be a modern space capable of dealing with the Zoos [sic] expectations of over 2.0 million visitors a year. The proposed design seeks to accommodate, in peak times, between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors a day with the peak entrance period being from 10am to 12 noon."

"The event space represents a bold new publicly accessible space. Passing beneath the entrance building gridshell roof the space opens up to reveal the elephant and rhino paddocks. Uniquely this space will be open to the public providing a free taster of the zoo. The space will have active edges populated by the proposed conservation college (future phase, subject to funding), café buildings and remodelled shop. The space is large enough to stage events such as Zoo’s Winter Fair and other seasonal activities."

"From within the event space access is also gained into the Elephant House. Entry will be controlled through the use of new turnstiles located adjacent to the existing retail unit. Visitors will also be able to glimpse view [sic] of the elephants within their paddock from the event space, providing a taster of the Chester Zoo experience."

Reference: ENTRANCE ZONE DESIGN STATEMENT PARTS 1-5

To gain entry into the zoo "proper", tickets bought at a booth will be scanned by the turnstiles located approximately where the temporary secondary entry point was sited when there was separate entry for the Frost Fair and Santa's grotto.

Note that nowhere is it explained how visitors get back out of the zoo and into the elephants without passing through two sets of turnstiles, and it's also worth noting that the area occupied by the elephant paddock decreases in size in these plans.

I'd suggest reading through the other design concept documents regarding the materials and appearance of the new buildings. It looks like they'll be what could be described as an acquired taste.
 
It's sounds a remarkably similar concept to the himalaya building at twycross (shops and cafe, and the snow leopard viewing) but on a slightly bigger scale.
 
Thats a hefty chunk they are taking off the elephant paddock. It is too small for the number of elephants that Chester has currently. With the herd increasing in size they decided to take away a 5th of the paddock?? I hope this isn't the case for the zoo that proclaims its the best in the UK.
 
mazfc said:
It's sounds a remarkably similar concept to the himalaya building at twycross (shops and cafe, and the snow leopard viewing) but on a slightly bigger scale.
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i was thinking that too. It seems a little strange in that the entrance area/Tsavo cafe has been extensively revamped in recent years already and still feels "new" to me.
 
I've no objection to the ticket booth > turnstile concept: it's pretty universal in continental zoos and seems to work well. My concern is the effect this will have on the elephant enclosure: both in terms of access to the house and space for the animals.

For a zoo with hundreds of acres at its disposal, this seems an odd way to go about things. Could the "orientation area" not be pulled out into the existing car park? (In fact, I'm sure this was the original plan.) Surely the loss of a few dozen parking spaces would be less of a sacrifice than lopping a big chunk off the elephant paddock.
 
I know everyone on here is on about the entrance and turnstyles but as anyone thought that they may decrease the size of the elephant herd to suit the space they will have left after the alterations
 
adrian1963 said:
I know everyone on here is on about the entrance and turnstyles but as anyone thought that they may decrease the size of the elephant herd to suit the space they will have left after the alterations
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Very doubtful that they would do that.....
 
robmv said:
I've no objection to the ticket booth > turnstile concept: it's pretty universal in continental zoos and seems to work well. My concern is the effect this will have on the elephant enclosure: both in terms of access to the house and space for the animals.

For a zoo with hundreds of acres at its disposal, this seems an odd way to go about things. Could the "orientation area" not be pulled out into the existing car park? (In fact, I'm sure this was the original plan.) Surely the loss of a few dozen parking spaces would be less of a sacrifice than lopping a big chunk off the elephant paddock.
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From the look of the Plans they are making a whole lot more parking spots using some of the land they have at there disposal. I think one of the reasons its planned how it is now is due to the power lines near the current entrance that has a 6 metre building restriction in them. However I strongly hope they reconsider taking land away from the Elephants especially seen as last summer they spent however much renovating the entire paddock which it seems was a waste of money now.
 
I'd like to see the zoo use more of their land holding. When I asked about extending the elephant paddock out into the car park, the issue with the power lines came up (apparently the elephants could potentially reach them) but an obvious solution would be a sunken walkway, from the house to the paddock. However, with a mooted 2M visitors, could they afford to lose the car-parking space?

Incidentally, and Zoospud will correct me if I've imagined this, I seem to recall that someone once offered to bury the power lines free-of-charge, but that the zoo declined?

The solution to the reduction in paddock size has already been put forward; the current elephant bridge will be demolished and a new one built with access beneath for the elephants to what is now the blackbuck and Indian rhino paddock. Let's hope these projects don't begin to feel like (expensive) musical chairs.
 
The revamping of the catering facilities is long overdue. For a zoo like Chester I think the current food offer is pretty appaling. I'm sure when Tsavo first opened the vision was for a much healthier and fresher food choice but I can't remember anything particularly appealing ever being available.

As for the revamp to the entrance...Having seen the plans I actully love the new building designs!! I have clearly got the taste required!!! Not sure if this full vision will be realised or not? I can't think the elephant paddock will be diminished for many years to come...this, I think, will only ever happen when the Asian plains part of the natural vision is realised.

I'm sure it will all look great when its finished!
 
SMR said:
Incidentally, and Zoospud will correct me if I've imagined this, I seem to recall that someone once offered to bury the power lines free-of-charge, but that the zoo declined?
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I also seem to remember something along these lines being mentioned,and I`m sure Zoospud will correct both SMR and myself if we are wrong,as on this subject he is the only person that is likely to know the STORY!!
 
A lot of people leave there cars on the car park outside and travel to work from there by Bus so maybe they will use it.Sorry but we don't eat there now as every time we ate in the Ark it was cold.so we eat elsewhere now.
 
Must say in 4 years of going to the zoo we've never had a problem with the food itself. The lack of variety was our only concern. The food was always hot and good value for money.
 
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