littleRedPanda
Well-Known Member
I would have been there in the 70's as a kid but don't remember seeing animals, possibly due to lack of interest, but now I wonder what they had after the closure of Wellingborough zoo.
Wicksteed Park Wicksteed Park
- Thread starter Jedd Cullinan
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- europe uk wicksteed park
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Just a few birds.
The children's zoo was on the right, just after the boating lake bridge on the way to the water chute. It was short-lived, which is probably why postcards are so scarce when there are many others from Wicksteed available on-line in large numbers.
To the left of the path and opposite the entrance to the children's zoo was a square(ish) paddock with a triangular aviary built into each of its four corners.
When Hamerton opened this held a few remnant birds, some pheasants and doves, and a couple of cranes and flamingoes. The trust approached us to take what was left as it was planning to get rid of animals altogether. We agreed, but they were so bureaucratic they could never come to a decision. I dont know if the birds just died off, or they disposed of them elsewhere.
The next animals on site were the meerkats a couple of years back; added presumably because of their popularity, and their enclosure being much more cost effective than another ride...
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Never having been the most comfortable in a crowd at the best of times, I suspect it will take quite a while for me to lose the pandemic anxiety at the mere sight of a crowded place
Here's a photo of the Alpacas
littleRedPanda
Well-Known Member
When was that from though Jedd?
It appears to have been uploaded to Foursquare in early May 2019. If I'm interpreting various references on the internet correctly, they arrived Easter 2018 - so possibly they were a temporary thing for said occasion, and the individual who uploaded photos to Foursquare did so quite some time after taking them?
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Old news then, if not quite from the 1950's...
They certainly use (used) the grounds for temporary events, rallies, meetings etc.
That's correct
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
If TLD is making a calculated presumption from what he has sourced - how do you know for certain?
Pootle
Well-Known Member
Well, it's one way of describing it.
Vulgar would be another.
why vulgar?
seems personal. Is it?
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
why vulgar?
seems personal. Is it?
Maybe its was described as 'vulgar' because it is really just a walled 'pit' from the inside, with no views out for the animals, (which do like to see what is happening in the world around them) and all the money seems to have been spent on dressing up what the public see on the rather tasteless Paradisio-esque exterior?
The last Wicksteed meerkat enclosure was basically a children's play installation with the animals living on top of it!
why vulgar?
seems personal. Is it?
How can describing a structure as "vulgar" be personal?
I'm not a fan of fake Africa/ Asia/ wherever (don't get me started on the Regent's Park lion set-up
) and this one seems a particularly crass example of mock-Africa.But it's just an opinion.
Here's a brilliant photo of the Goats
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Here's a brilliant photo of the Goats
Is that another old one, from the past - too?
no this is a new one
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
No it's not his but direct from there Facebook page,2 days ago.
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Pootle
Well-Known Member
I remember the Meerkats at Knowsley over 10 years ago now were located not too far from the fun fair, which had one of those swinging pirate ships, they didn't like it when it got going swinging above.
