Memories of Zoos in the UK that no longer in exist
- Thread starter garyjp
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How many zoos have you visited that are now closed?
Which zoo closure surprised or disappointed you the most?
Visits to zoos that don't exist anymore
What is in your opinion, the greatest zoo that no longer exists today?
Which UK Zoo that has closed would you like to see re-open ? [United Kingdom]
How many zoos have you visited that are now closed?
Which zoo closure surprised or disappointed you the most?
Visits to zoos that don't exist anymore
What is in your opinion, the greatest zoo that no longer exists today?
Which UK Zoo that has closed would you like to see re-open ? [United Kingdom]
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I hear its now been suggested it might be turned into a hub for cruiseliner visitors or something like that.Living Coasts
Windsor Safari Park. First time I’d ever seen a Killer whale. Obviously modern practice against keeping cetaceans in captivity would make it unthinkable today
Belle Vue zoo in Manchester. A classic zoo in a grimy urban situation and right next to a speedway/funfare if I remember rightly. A huge varied animal collection. Less than ideal enclosures obviously through lack of space. But a real zoological treasure trove.
I do remember reading a book about Ifracombe many years ago - do you remember much about - was also interested in Poole and Southampton
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
The book about Ilfracombe Zoo that you're thinking of is " My Home Is a Zoo " by Charles Trevisick
I only visited Ilfracombe Zoo once; that was back in the early 1970s, more than fifty years ago, and I cannot remember very much about it. (Perhaps surprisingly, Ifracombe had the ex London Zoo pygmy hippo "Percy III" for a while in the early 1950s; it was subsequently sent to Paignton Zoo.)
I only had two brief visits to Southampton Zoo back in the early 1980s. Southampton Zoo had some surprising animals, for example the northern white rhinoceros "Gus" was there from September 1964 until May 1967 when he was sent to Lion County Safari Park in Florida; I regret I never had the opportunity of seeing him in Southamptom. More surprisingly, long before my visits, Southampton Zoo had giant pangolins in the early 1960s; I believe those London Zoo acquired in 1964 came from there.
yes that was it really good read i remember he had a puma , a bear , stump tailed and rhesus macaques - did charles close the zoo
I saw a northern olingo at Exmouth Zoo in @ 1973 and a lowland or northern olingo at Kilverstone in @ 1990,
I also saw some British bats at the Verulamium Zoo about 60 years ago
I saw my first clouded leopard at Glasgow's Calderpark Zoo in 1980
My family went to Lambton Lion Park in @ 1971. My father kept a baboon's handprint on his car's windscreen for several days after our visit
I also saw some British bats at the Verulamium Zoo about 60 years ago
I saw my first clouded leopard at Glasgow's Calderpark Zoo in 1980
My family went to Lambton Lion Park in @ 1971. My father kept a baboon's handprint on his car's windscreen for several days after our visit
When growing up Cricket St Thomas Wildlife Park was the second closest zoo to me after Paignton.
It had some similarities with Cotswold Wildlife Park, in that it was based around a manor, there was a walled garden that contained a number of smaller species and a picturesque area where a number of the larger animals were held. The River Axe ran through the park and there were paddocks on either side.
The main species I remember were Asian elephants, which initially just had a small yard area, but later moved to a much larger enclosure, sea lions, camels and zebra. I also remember wapati at one point. For cats they had leopard and jaguars, which I always thought was a nice complement to Paignton with lions and tigers.
I believe it made a huge mistake with the whole Blobbyland venture with Noel Edmonds. Mr Blobby was only popular for a brief time in the mid 1990s and only with very young children. At the time there was a common misconception that the Blobbyland theme park had replaced the wildlife park, not that it was in addition to it. I am sure in the long run this must have cost them more visitors than they gained. I do sometimes wonder if it had never happened whether or not the wildlife park would still be open today.
It had some similarities with Cotswold Wildlife Park, in that it was based around a manor, there was a walled garden that contained a number of smaller species and a picturesque area where a number of the larger animals were held. The River Axe ran through the park and there were paddocks on either side.
The main species I remember were Asian elephants, which initially just had a small yard area, but later moved to a much larger enclosure, sea lions, camels and zebra. I also remember wapati at one point. For cats they had leopard and jaguars, which I always thought was a nice complement to Paignton with lions and tigers.
I believe it made a huge mistake with the whole Blobbyland venture with Noel Edmonds. Mr Blobby was only popular for a brief time in the mid 1990s and only with very young children. At the time there was a common misconception that the Blobbyland theme park had replaced the wildlife park, not that it was in addition to it. I am sure in the long run this must have cost them more visitors than they gained. I do sometimes wonder if it had never happened whether or not the wildlife park would still be open today.
They were one of the few UK zoos/parks that exhibited Wapiti. They were in a paddock on the further hillside above the river/stream. Later they seemed to have been replaced by Axis Deer which they had until the park closed. CST really had a lovely location- often cited as the best spot for a wildlife park anywhere in the UK. I wish it had stayed open. The Mr Blobby venture was ill-concieved I think, the setting was very wrong for that sort of thing. Last time I went before they closed some of the 'Blobbyland' structures were still in place, they might even be so nowadays in its current guise as a Warners 'adults only' hotel.
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Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
I
I agree, the place had massive potential, very disappointed when it closed.
Strathmorezoo
Well-Known Member
He closed the zoo at Comyn Hill in 1973,which became Golden Coast Holiday Centre. However, he started a smaller collection not far from it in 1974.
I have no idea when this one closed.
ZooNews2024
Well-Known Member
Yes, and it was opened at a similar time to Cotswold. Compared the pretty house and lovely gardens and parkland at Burford, or the manors at Kilverstone or Marwell, the house was/is an ugly grey affair, used as a back-drop to the TV series, 'To the Manor Born', and surrounded by grass fields grazed by dairy cows. The river paddocks were nice, but very simple and pretty unmanageable as the river ran directly through them. The rest was a poor copy of Cotswold. It did all it could to promote itself (hence the TV links to the BBC) and was quite busy on the occasions I visited, but it was already on the way down and looking for solutions/saviours when Edmonds arrived.
Of collections I have visited that have since closed Aberdeen and Glasgow had merit (though also significant weaknesses). Belle Vue was historic and had lots of good animals but really couldn't survive under present circumstances. Southport was in a poor location, but had some good specimens and a "knack" with mandrill..
Whereas Tenby, Rhyl, Southport and Bridgemere I miss not at all!
Whereas Tenby, Rhyl, Southport and Bridgemere I miss not at all!
One of the family that owned the place, Peter Taylor, (I think he was a son-in-law) was a journalist by profession. He wrote a book 'Some of My Best Friends Are Animals' I think jt was called, about the place-the usual semi-humorous recolle ctions. He was probably the driving force behind all the publicity and promotions. Probably also behind the choice of the location for the filming of TTMB.
I agree with previous contributers: Cricket St.Thomas was a beautiful setting for a zoo and it's a great shame it never reached its full potential.
Asian elephants, too, were the species I remember best at Cricket St.Thomas, especially the bull "Sahib"; he was a huge animal, possibly the tallest elephant that I have ever seen.
(I sawi"Sahib" several times in Leipzig Zoo before seeing him at Cricket and I saw his father "Siam" many times in Vincennes (Paris) Zoo. Unfortunately "Sahib" never inherited his father's enormous tusks so he wasn't such an impressive beast as "Siam")