Chester Zoo Chester Zoo closing for 2 days due to heatwave

J

James Barber

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
It has been announced that Chester Zoo will be closed Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th July due to the extreme heatwave and safely for the staff, visitors and animals.

The zoo will reopen as normal again Wednesday 20th July.

If anybody has pre-booked any tickets booked for those days, then your ticket will automatically be extended until July 2023.

Stay safe, cool and hydrated.
 
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James Barber said:
It has been announced that Chester Zoo will be closed Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th July due to the extreme heatwave and safely for the staff, visitors and animals.

The zoo will reopen as normal again Wednesday 20th July.

If anybody has pre-booked any tickets booked for those days, then your ticket will automatically be extended until July 2023.

Stay safe, cool and hydrated.
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Good job they are not in Australia, or Spain, or Arizona, or Turkey, or Greece, or, or...
they'd be closed every weekend! - and weekdays too...
 
James Barber said:
It has been announced that Chester Zoo will be closed Monday 18th and Tuesday 19th July due to the extreme heatwave and safely for the staff, visitors and animals.

The zoo will reopen as normal again Wednesday 20th July.

If anybody has pre-booked any tickets booked for those days, then your ticket will automatically be extended until July 2023.

Stay safe, cool and hydrated.
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Zoo2022 said:
Good job they are not in Australia, or Spain, or Arizona, or Turkey, or Greece, or, or...
they'd be closed every weekend! - and weekdays too...
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I did Chester last July and the weather was consistently 35-36 degrees all day. Yes it was hard work at times, but it didn't feel like I was at risk of death... I know there are obviously people with health issues that will struggle but healthy(ish) people who are sensible should be okay. Seems a bit odd to close when they're still recoering from being closed for big chunks of 2020 and 2021. Be interesting to see if any other big names in the UK will close their doors as well.
 
Brum said:
I did Chester last July and the weather was consistently 35-36 degrees all day. Yes it was hard work at times, but it didn't feel like I was at risk of death... I know there are obviously people with health issues that will struggle but healthy(ish) people who are sensible should be okay. Seems a bit odd to close when they're still recoering from being closed for big chunks of 2020 and 2021. Be interesting to see if any other big names in the UK will close their doors as well.
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35 degrees! That's an average summer day in Australia and our zoos don't close.

It is rather hot weather but there's no reason why the zoo should be closed. Although a lot of the animals will have to be kept indoors.
 
Jambo said:
35 degrees! That's an average summer day in Australia and our zoos don't close.

It is rather hot weather but there's no reason why the zoo should be closed. Although a lot of the animals will have to be kept indoors.
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Chester probably know from their on-line bookings that footfall will be down, as the media has been telling people for days that it is fine to go on holiday to other countries to hunt for sun and these temperatures, but the same temperatures in England are a danger to life.
Closing for two days when they know income will be down, will save a huge public-services wage bill; so the decision is probably economic, dressed up as this.
Dudley (for example) will surely be hotter; in the middle of the country, and on a gradient which makes it hard work even on a cool day.
 
Jambo said:
35 degrees! That's an average summer day in Australia and our zoos don't close.

It is rather hot weather but there's no reason why the zoo should be closed. Although a lot of the animals will have to be kept indoors.
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But you have buildings designed for it, and a human and animal population acclimated to it..! Most buildings here are designed to keep heat in, so being inside is less comfortable (but probably safer than out in the sun). :D

It's probably overcaution, and it will have economic factors as well (as above), but it doesn't seem like crazy talk - it will also cover them from either suggested liability for hundreds of heat exhaustion cases (remember it's much bigger than most other UK zoos and has pretty much twice the visitor numbers of its peers) and also from any complaints for lack of animal activity or closed buildings. (I don't know about anyone else on here but the thought of Realm of the Red Ape on a 35 degree day does not seem pleasant!)

Basically, between one thing and another - they think it's not worth the hassle.


Zoo2022 said:
the media has been telling people for days that it is fine to go on holiday to other countries to hunt for sun and these temperatures, but the same temperatures in England are a danger to life.
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To be fair though, it is more dangerous for people when they're at home on a 'normal' day than when they're on holiday, because behaviour is different. If they're at home and it's otherwise a normal day, people (fairly naturally) expect to work and commute and exercise and whatever else as normal, they don't think about sunblock or shade or water - whereas people on holiday for the sun will generally be physically doing much less and are out of routine - basically, they will have the sun on their mind.
 
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Last night, I was thinking of going up this morning for a two day visit, but decided against it. ZSL has said some of it's exhibits may not be open due to the predicted heat.
 
littleRedPanda said:
Last night, I was thinking of going up this morning for a two day visit, but decided against it. ZSL has said some of it's exhibits may not be open due to the predicted heat.
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Personally I agree. There is always another day, a nicer day... Unlike Australia, our 'heatwave' is going to be for 2 days. Sit it out safely, and wait!
I am sure their advance booking sales will show many agree with us...
 
I'm in total agreement in putting their animals,staff and visitors in priority over the worry of losing two days business out in this potential inferno. Spare a though for others like bin men (like me) who will be out in this!. There would be sun traps in certain places in the zoo,like we would have in our gardens where temperatures would be higher and folks and beasties would be at risk
 
Eric said:
I'm in total agreement in putting their animals,staff and visitors in priority over the worry of losing two days business out in this potential inferno. Spare a though for others like bin men (like me) who will be out in this!. There would be sun traps in certain places in the zoo,like we would have in our gardens where temperatures would be higher and folks and beasties would be at risk
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Cambridge had 39 C back in 2019 - Chester didnt close then.... I dont think Hamerton or Linton did either.
 
It's not the heat so much as the humidity in the UK that makes the weather so unpleasant.

Given the lack of a decent breeze and the fact that we only get these intense period rarely, so we aren't used to it, you from outside the UK may scoff, but YES IT IS dangerous.

The infrastructure isn't there-why else are train lines and roads buckling?, AC is rare and expensive, especially so at the moment, and UK buildings are insulated for warmth in winter, not for intense heat on rare occasions.
 
GaryA said:
It's not the heat so much as the humidity in the UK that makes the weather so unpleasant.

Given the lack of a decent breeze and the fact that we only get these intense period rarely, so we aren't used to it, you from outside the UK may scoff, but YES IT IS dangerous.

The infrastructure isn't there-why else are train lines and roads buckling?, AC is rare and expensive, especially so at the moment, and UK buildings are insulated for warmth in winter, not for intense heat on rare occasions.
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These periods come every year, usually mid-July. Read Brums contribution above, he was at Chester in similar weather before. Cambridge had 39 c in 2019. 36 c when I went to the Royal Norfolk Show on 12 July, cant remember which year, sorry.
I'm not saying that it is not an issue, or not potentially hotter this time - but it certainly is not the one-off you imply.
...and - insulation works both ways...!! Have you never heard of something called a Thermos Flask...
 
Zoo2022 said:
These periods come every year, usually mid-July. Read Brums contribution above, he was at Chester in similar weather before. Cambridge had 39 c in 2019. 36 c when I went to the Royal Norfolk Show on 12 July, cant remember which year, sorry.
I'm not saying that it is not an issue, or not potentially hotter this time - but it certainly is not the one-off you imply.
...and - insulation works both ways...!! Have you never heard of something called a Thermos Flask...
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They are (supposedly) record temperatures. So by definition, a one off.

I suspect this is to give their own staff a break, working earlier or later, and they also know they won't get many visitors either. Just not worth it.

I for one, have to be careful in this heat for health reasons. My employer isn't the best, but even they have agreed to me working from home for a few days to avoid going out in the heat.

If you do have to work in it or go out in it, be prepared. If you don't need to go out in it, don't. It's not worth risking it just for the sake if it. I'm sure it won't upset anyone's plans to not go to a zoo for a couple of days.
 
It's unusual for the UK. It doesn't really matter if it is usual for all manner of other places, it isn't for the UK as a whole. Perhaps after a while the infrastructure etc will need to change but for now exceptional heat is just that. So it introduces exceptional things. It's not really a big deal if some zoos decide to put restrictions in. Most won't bother with restrictions I imagine as it isn't school holidays so attendance in the week will be lower than say August and if a pretty empty Banham today was anything to go by most regular folk don't appear to go to the zoo when it is 31+ degrees anyway.

It's probably done for the staff where it is done and that's a good thing, employer wise.
 
bongorob said:
Construction of Grasslands is due to start in September and will take around two years.

I cannot see what effect closing the zoo in hot weather has to do with the animals and staff. Both will still be there (well animal staff anyway). However I would hate to work in a catering facility near to hot ovens in 40 degrees C.
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Their customers services department will be busy... all those pre-booked coaches and school-trips for the last week of term, booked and pre-paid weeks ago. These organisers, cancelling their coaches at the last minute with no notice will have to pay the full price and will be looking to the zoo for compensation. Casual visitors who have not checked will be arriving, only to be turned away, with the thought implanted in their heads 'better not risk coming here again when its sunny, they might be shut'.
The message seems to be - dont go to the zoo it might be closed if it is sunny and hot, dont go to the zoo if storms are predicted, it might be windy and it will be closed...
 
I didn't think of that Zoo2022.

The zoo remained open all through the severe 1962-63 winter, and all through the excessive heat wave of summer 1976. It seems to be the modern way these days for places to close (not just zoos), at the merest hint of anything out of the ordinary.

Local to me, Stafford Park cancelled their Armed Forces Gala Day in June because the weather forecast said there MIGHT be a thunderstorm.

A flypast over Stoke by the Lancaster bomber was cancelled at the last minute because it might be windy.

Today the Queen's Jubilee baton relay in Stoke is cancelled because it is hot. They are still going ahead with the relay, but the carnival is cancelled. The excuse is for the safety of the public. I wish they would consider the safety of the public and fix all the broken paving stones, oh wait a minute, that would mean they'd have to sepnd money.

The postman is working, I saw him go past my house.
 
I saw on the weather forecast that heavy rain is predicted in some areas on Wednesday. It is common knowledge that road accidents are more likely in wet conditions, perhaps zoos should choose to discourage unnecessary journeys by members of the public.
 
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