Yes, the old place hasn't hit the iceberg yet, and there has been a change to the captain of the ship, the weather has been a lot better this year, I recall the zoo stating that they had their best day on May Day Holiday Monday for five years, the dinosaurs will have hopefully pulled a few more punters in and all the modest improvements made in recent times will also help,think positive and you might get somewhere, think negative and you will definitely get nowhere!,
Twycross Zoo Twycross Zoo news 2013 #3
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Yes, the old place hasn't hit the iceberg yet, and there has been a change to the captain of the ship, the weather has been a lot better this year, I recall the zoo stating that they had their best day on May Day Holiday Monday for five years, the dinosaurs will have hopefully pulled a few more punters in and all the modest improvements made in recent times will also help,think positive and you might get somewhere, think negative and you will definitely get nowhere!,
I really do hope that this year will be better for Twycross . The dinosaurs should help quite a bit ( I see that Marwell plans to get them next year ) as well as generally much better weather . I hope the fact that they continue with lots of small improvements is a sign of some confidence .
The full 2012 accounts should be available on the Charity Commission website in due course , will be able to get a better picture from them . It will be particularly interesting to see if any large redundancy payments were made .
The full 2012 accounts should be available on the Charity Commission website in due course , will be able to get a better picture from them . It will be particularly interesting to see if any large redundancy payments were made .
If they have a better year this year, I think the weather will have a lot to do with it. IMO none of the various refurbished exhibits and changes, while all improvements in themselves, represent enough of a draw to bring in significantly more or fresh visitors-as perhaps would the addition of a new major animal species or exhibit.
These are indeed improvements, but IMO the mainstream Zoo visitors are not overly selective about what they expect to see- they will go anyway for the day out if that's what they plan to do.
These are indeed improvements, but IMO the mainstream Zoo visitors are not overly selective about what they expect to see- they will go anyway for the day out if that's what they plan to do.
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't say that it hasn't hit the iceberg,I would say it has,the question we need to ask is how quick its sinking,from what I heard today I think this year could be make or break for the place!!
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
The animal welfare work that is been done at Twycross in bugger all to do with the new CEO,yes she is signing off what gets done but its keepers that come up with the ideas along with the collection manager!!!!
I hope with all sincerity that this is a case of history repeating itself. i.e. London was in such a state in the early nineties that it could have closed, I appreciate that Twycross is not as so high profile and as famous as the zoo at Regents Park, but, just as I felt over twenty years ago when it was a possibility that London could have closed, I knew that it would not close down, and that is how I feel about Twycross today. I would be lying if I stated that everything in the zoological garden is now rosy since the previous director departed, I would say that this person almost finished the zoo, Josey the chimp could have done a better job as C.E.O..
As we know in London in time rallied and is now back on form, the same is definitely possible at Twycross, my second favourite zoo in the U.K.
zoogiraffe
Well-Known Member
Because she listens to what the staff have to say un-like the previous CEO,so she leaves people that know what they are doing to get on with doing it,instead of interferring because she knows best like the previous CEO did!That and she doesn't run the zoo by fear of if you don't do things my way you know where the door is!!!
No, Twycross is not as high profile as London which had extremely generous donations, some of seven figures, but Twycross I see has had donations in recent times, although smaller, all contributions are appreciated, local firms have donated materials recently, a firm has donated some saplings recently, it all goes in the pot, and every little helps.
Very true and and I hope it goes okay, this is my home zoo and I would not be interested in primates without it. I've also heard that a building firm is funding the new bonobo refurb.
Most people have very short memories, I think that's mainly forgotten about now, particularly as after it happened there seemed to be no follow up- court case or anything.
Of the new exhibits, the Lemur walk-through is probably the only one that might serve to actually attract (new)visitors but I still say it will be the weather if they have a better year.
CambsVet
Well-Known Member
I personally think management should try to get a TV show made at the park - simillar to "The Zoo" or "Animal Park". Obviously I have no idea how easy that would be, but with all the changes going on I think it could potentially make a good series and more importantly attract new visitors....
Not a bad idea as it reaches a big audience and is a sure way to attract more visitors, at least short term. These zoo series tend to get made by either the local regional T.V. companies or small Independant ones, but of course only a certain amount of this type of programming gets shown in any year. Nowadays the format is almost always exactly the same, following the keepers on their daily routines, with usually some vetinary work and anything else interesting that's going on during the filming period such as a birth or introduction or two, and even deaths sometimes. For Twycross this might be around a 'crisis' storyline of their current financial and other problems, though they might not want it exposed that they are struggling - it never looks good.
Out of interest, UK animal collections I can think of that have featured in recent years in these T.V. series(ones focusing on a particular zoo that is) include;
London/Whipsnade.
Paignton
Bristol.
Chester.
Colchester
Longleat.
Howletts/Port Lympne(a children's version.)
Dartmoor Wildlife Park.
Manor House Tenby.
And in Ireland; Dublin?
There may be others I can't recall too.
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WMSP, but it may only have been shown in the Central area, all the same it was a good series.