Palms Tropical Oasis Is due close in september this year

This has come as a massive shock. Having lived down the road from this popular attraction for the past few years it's become one my regular haunts. We have known for some time that Stapely Water Gardens was going to be resited however it was always assumed that The Palms would follow the centre and move to the new site as well. Have to say I'm in a state of shock. Can't quite believe that come September it will no longer be there..... :( :( :(
 
:(:mad::(Bummer! I've really enjoyed my visits there over the last few years.

I've always thought it filled its niche very nicely, presenting some obscure species well, the labelling was good and the staff friendly and open.

I'll miss the place (especially the Mudskippers) as it was the perfect little zoo (whatever the weather) when I was too tired or didn't have time for bigger places.

I'll try and squeeze at least one more visit in to try and see the elusive (to me) Armadillo.
 
I did see the news in the paper and forgot to mention it. My bad. Here's a short overview of the site if folks haven't visited for a while: water gdns update [sic]

I've got a fair few photos from when The Palms first opened, getting around to posting them will now take a higher priority, as will one last visit.

And for the trivia fans, this will be the second animal collection to close along the same stretch of the A51.
 
Such a shame :( they have some really interesting species. I wonder where the new homes for the will be, hope the tenrecs go to a zoo near me! Also does anyone know if the skunks are still living under the floorboards?! I lost my photos (dogs and portable harddrives don't mix) when I visited a while back so will definitely have to go again before September.
 
Does anybody know what collections other species are going to? Reasheath would be a good idea for some, since it is both local and it would give students a greater range of species to gain experiance with.

Ahh, just read the article fully (I really should not rush to post ;p). Does anybody know which species Reasheath and Chester in particular will be getting, and will these species be new ones to go on show, new ones off-show or more individuals of species they already have.
 
Mixed feelings about this one. There was an interesting collection of reptile, amphibian and invertebrate species, but the coatis, tamarins and even the meerkats could benefit from better enclosures.

A bigger loss than the animals is probably the horticulture in the various houses, part of the facility often overlooked by visitors. For example, they have some really large cacti specimens, which I personally think are more valuable than cane toads.

I've posted a couple of photos in the gallery from 1987 when The Palms opened, as against the same scene on the day it closed. I'll try to find a few more.



 
The Stapeley Water Gardens web-site lists species currently exhibited . The only mammals are meercat and prairie dog , also a few species of bird , reptile and amphibia plus the inverts. including some that sound interesting .
 
Rest of pictures are uploaded now. Other exhibits were Tailess whip scorpions, assassin bugs, salmon pink bird eating spider, banana spider, pink toed bird spider, cobalt blue earth tiger spider, great African land spider, giant Madagascan hissing cockroach, tenrec, onion headed grasshopper, lubber grasshopper, spiney stick insect, Peruvian stick insect, giant black millipede, meerkats and dead leaf praying mantis. Signs saying Leaf cutter ants and kakarikis coming soon.
 
I enjoyed all those photos. I particularly liked the deaths-head cockroaches. That was a new one for me!
 
Bugs of Fun closed on the 14th August according to website, nice to know the bigger plants are going to Chester Zoo.
From the Palms website -

"After a 12 month planning delay , The Palms Tropical Oasis will finally close its doors on Sunday 14th August. The Palms closure is making way for Phase 2 of the Stapeley Water Gardens site development programme. During this time admissions will not be charged and customers will be given the chance to purchase the tropical plants and other items from within the Palms. the re-homing of the animals and insects has already taken place.

Marketing Manager, Michelle Mossford said “Our staff have grown and nurtured these plants, but knowing they will be going to good homes will be of benefit’.

After its closure, some of the bigger plants will be going to larger wildlife parks like Chester Zoo."
 
Just to update: It's been reported in the local paper today that the garden centre (Stapely Water Gardens) on which The Palms/Bugs of Fun was situated is most likely closing down as well. It was planned that it would relocate to a bigger site down the road (on fields, just behind where The Palms building was) Unfortunatly due to what the paper refers to as "a difficult trading year and complications with the site development" (houses are supposed to be built on the current site) it now appears that this won't happen.... :(
 
Passed the site of this place the other day,and can report that it is now a major building site for a large new housing development!
 
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