Mystery zoo

[AgileGibbon]

I was told by a taxi driver in wales that there was the remnants of an old zoo and canal system underneath the Queen's Arcade in Rhyl. I've looked on various websites and found bits of info about the canals, ususally called something along the lines of 'little venice'. But there's no mention of an old zoo.

Has anyone else heard anything about this?

 

[zoogiraffe]

I wonder if he was on about the old Ocean World that used to be on the site of what is now the Seaquarium there?

 

[bongorob]

Here is something about it. There was a zoo in the market I think in the 1960/70s. Can't remember much about it now.

I also remember Ocean World which closed because of storm damage in the spring of 1990.

BBC - North East Wales Ask a Local - Rhyl

 

[Panthera Puss]

If you search for 'Rhyl Promenade & Queens Palace' on Flickr there's a brief summary which says a zoo was there in the 1902-7 complex (my link won't work).

 

[robmv]

There have been at least five animal attractions in Rhyl over the years:

• Queen's Palace Pleasure Dome Zoo (1902-1907) - destroyed by fire.
• Tropicana Aquarium & Mini Zoo, above Queen's Supermarket (1961 - mid 1970s)
• Rhyl Dolphinarium, Ocean Beach (mid 1970s)
• Ocean World, Royal Floral Hall, East Parade (closed early 1990s?)
• Sea Life/SeaQuarium (opened 1993)

I believe the Queen's Supermarket was built on the site of the 1902 "pleasure dome" so your taxi driver could have been referring to the original place or the 1960s revival.

The attached postcard shows the "continental zoo" in the Royal Floral Hall. I assume this is Ocean World under another name (certainly the age of the postcard is about right).

 

[AgileGibbon]

Sounds like it could have been the 1902 structure then. Would be interesting to see what it was like inside, or what it would have been like now if it had survived

 

[Paradoxurus]

Sounds like it could have been the 1902 structure then. Would be interesting to see what it was like inside, or what it would have been like now if it had survived

Here's a postcard of the interior of the later, Floral Hall zoo...

 

[bongorob]

Royal Floral Hall The Royal Floral Hall | Rhyl History Club

I think the building was dmaged in the storms of February 1992.

 

[bongorob]

I found a video of the Floral Hall, when it was rebranded as Rhyl Ocean World. Approx 5 minutes to 7 minutes 15 seconds of the video.

 

[vogelcommando]

Did also some research to this mystery collection and found some short notes in "Wildlife in Britain" published by the Automobile Association ( 1976 ).

"Tropicana Aquarium and Mini-Zoo
This is a small collection of small animals, and you can see monkeys, chipmunks, gerbils, hamsters, mice, porcupines and goats. There are also some small birds, lizards, snakes and a crocodile, and some tropical fish, which are the primary exhibit in the collection. This exhibition was opened in 1961. "

By the address info it says : "above the Queen's Supermarket, Sussex Street, Rhyl.

 

[SHAVINGTONZOO]

Did also some research to this mystery collection and found some short notes in "Wildlife in Britain" published by the Automobile Association ( 1976 ).

"Tropicana Aquarium and Mini-Zoo
This is a small collection of small animals, and you can see monkeys, chipmunks, gerbils, hamsters, mice, porcupines and goats. There are also some small birds, lizards, snakes and a crocodile, and some tropical fish, which are the primary exhibit in the collection. This exhibition was opened in 1961. "

By the address info it says : "above the Queen's Supermarket, Sussex Street, Rhyl.

I visited it c.1971/2.

It was awful.