ZSL London Zoo ZSL London Zoo News 2013

Could a walkthrough be installed on the Mappin Terraces? That would certainly improve the appeal of the current Australian Outback exhibit, and allow closer experiences. Probably wouldn't work for many other species mixes however. I wonder if they could install dingos on the goat hills if the Australian theme was to remain? I think it would be ideal if this part of the Mappins could be utilised. I like the Gelada/Ibex mix, but it would be nice to have a few other species too, even if they were restricted to some parts of the terraces, such as hyrax and waterfowl.
 
stulch said:
New series of The Zoo on ITV in July, they have just about finished filming.
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I watched this last night. They teased us with shots of Kumbuka in the opening sequences but obviously he won't be starring until later in the series. Enjoyable, nevertheless!
 
The newly re shaped restaurant is now open. The publicity material for this is quite extraordinary - adjectives appear to be as plentiful as meerkats in Regent's Park....

"Head to The Terrace Restaurant for a dynamic dining experience in spacious, yet buzzing surroundings with lots of theatre-style counters to browse. Eat out on our exciting new deck for wonderful views of the zoo while you lunch.

Our friendly chefs will carve succulent roast meats for you and serve up tasty fish courses that change with the seasons. We draw inspiration from around the world for those dishes that have become firm family favourites such as stone-baked pizza, lasagne and fragrant curries.

There are fresh seasonal salads arrayed in the deli counter, or build your own and add a hand-made scotch egg, pork pie or deli sandwich. There is a sweets table groaning with delicious baked goodies and a children’s offer with kid-friendly healthy food and yummy treats."

My particular favourite examples of marketing speak here are the reference to "friendly" chefs (!) and the suggestion that a bit of pizza, some lasagne and a dodgy curry see the zoo drawing "inspiration" from around the world.

I'm very much looking forward to my "hand-made Scotch egg" when next I am in the capital to take a look at the Zoe's pigeon.....
 
sooty mangabey said:
The newly re shaped restaurant is now open. The publicity material for this is quite extraordinary - adjectives appear to be as plentiful as meerkats in Regent's Park....

"Head to The Terrace Restaurant for a dynamic dining experience in spacious, yet buzzing surroundings with lots of theatre-style counters to browse. Eat out on our exciting new deck for wonderful views of the zoo while you lunch.

Our friendly chefs will carve succulent roast meats for you and serve up tasty fish courses that change with the seasons. We draw inspiration from around the world for those dishes that have become firm family favourites such as stone-baked pizza, lasagne and fragrant curries.

There are fresh seasonal salads arrayed in the deli counter, or build your own and add a hand-made scotch egg, pork pie or deli sandwich. There is a sweets table groaning with delicious baked goodies and a children’s offer with kid-friendly healthy food and yummy treats."

My particular favourite examples of marketing speak here are the reference to "friendly" chefs (!) and the suggestion that a bit of pizza, some lasagne and a dodgy curry see the zoo drawing "inspiration" from around the world.

I'm very much looking forward to my "hand-made Scotch egg" when next I am in the capital to take a look at the Zoe's pigeon.....
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I have to agree with you, the marketing is very over the top, when the food served up will probably be of similar standard to before- average, even by zoo standards!
They're lucky they will actually get to use the open air terrace for the first couple of weeks, for 90% of the year it will be unusable, even in summer!
On the face of it it would seem a waste of money that could have been spent on exhibits for some new mammals, but time will tell.
 
H'mm. How expensive is the food? My experience of London Zoo catering over the years has invariably been that even when it was good it was seldom value for money, certainly when compared to some of the alternatives along Camden High Street or Parkway...
 
IanRRobinson said:
H'mm. How expensive is the food? My experience of London Zoo catering over the years has invariably been that even when it was good it was seldom value for money, certainly when compared to some of the alternatives along Camden High Street or Parkway...
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From recent memory, the hot food ranges from about £7-10. Though it is perfectly edible, i'm sure you could get better for less in a nearby pub and get better curry or pasta for no more expense. Fish & chips or sausage & mash,i think was around £8.50, which to me isn't great value.
The worst value for me are the pre-packed sandwiches, panninis and wraps, some of which are over a fiver and i wouldnt pay that for something that may have been sitting in the fridge 2 or 3 days!
 
Oh, come on, chaps, be fair! You haven't even tried the food yet and you're bring critical! I agree the marketing is waaaay over the top (typical ZSL) but they have hugely increased the seating area (there's an entire new mezzanine of tables as well as the first-floor terrace) which was essential; loads of new toilets (also becoming necessary), staff canteen etc etc. Something had to be done – the old restaurant was getting pretty tatty and just wasn't big enough. Perhaps they won't have improved the food, but let's wait and see (and hope they have).
 
volvox said:
Oh, come on, chaps, be fair! You haven't even tried the food yet and you're bring critical! I agree the marketing is waaaay over the top (typical ZSL) but they have hugely increased the seating area (there's an entire new mezzanine of tables as well as the first-floor terrace) which was essential; loads of new toilets (also becoming necessary), staff canteen etc etc. Something had to be done – the old restaurant was getting pretty tatty and just wasn't big enough. Perhaps they won't have improved the food, but let's wait and see (and hope they have).
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I have tried not to be over critical, i just suspect the open terrace will be unuseable for much of the year. My judgement of the quality and cost of the food was obviously based on the previous restaurant, but i suspect the quality of the food will be similar and expect the prices to go up, i will wait to be surprised on both counts!
 
Regent Restaurant

While I'm unsure about the marketing words and I'm yet to visit it, as I said on 11-04-2012 ...and many times since:-

stulch said:
A number of times I've tried to go in there (on quite quiet days) and been turned away as it's too full!

Each time I've been left thinking how much money are they losing (which could be spent on conservation or on the zoo itself) when they are turning away people (and their food, in fairness like most, is not cheap).
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Sorry to keep repeating this but I think it's important, in the long term it will make money for the zoo!

As I've also said before I'm looking forward to sitting on the terrace.
 
I passed by the zoo briefly today. I didn't eat in the restaurant but I looked around and it is certainly a huge improvement. London's major museums have very impressive catering facilities and I think it is important that the zoo can match this.

Aesthetically it is light and attractive, roomy and the food I saw looked delicious. I've only eaten once in the old restaurant but this looks miles better. The cakes were very impressive too.
 
stulch said:
While I'm unsure about the marketing words and I'm yet to visit it, as I said on 11-04-2012 ...and many times since:-



Sorry to keep repeating this but I think it's important, in the long term it will make money for the zoo!

As I've also said before I'm looking forward to sitting on the terrace.
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I don't know if you have children, stulch. I do, and in my humble opinion - and it's one that you'll probably hear repeated from those who also have kids - is that very few things antagonise a parent more than over expensive food.

My two are now of an age to be capable of eating adult portions, and based on pipaluk's description, the likely price of £30-£40 for a very basic meal for the three of us won't encourage me to use London Zoo catering.
 
IanRRobinson said:
I don't know if you have children, stulch. I do, and in my humble opinion - and it's one that you'll probably hear repeated from those who also have kids - is that very few things antagonise a parent more than over expensive food.

My two are now of an age to be capable of eating adult portions, and based on pipaluk's description, the likely price of £30-£40 for a very basic meal for the three of us won't encourage me to use London Zoo catering.
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Exactly my problem, i rarely go in the restaurants at London or Whipsnade unless i'm alone! For a family of 5 (including girlfriend & kids) it would probably cost best part of £50, however good it was, it's hardly a treat, better to take our own rolls & get takeaway or fastfood on the way home!
 
I think it's important to have realistic expectations. London is an expensive city, generally agreed to be one of the most expensive in the world. The zoo needs to make money and people will know what to expect in terms of food prices at a major attraction in one of the world's major cities. I think it's naïve to suggest otherwise.

As long as the standard is up to it, I don't think this is a problem.

Whilst I sympathise with families for whom a day at the zoo can be very expensive, bringing a picnic is an option.

I wish people would leave the ZSL marketing department alone, their job is to make things enticing and get attention for the zoo, hopefully resulting in more visitors, more money and a better zoo. I don't know how anyone could find that problematic.
 
London zoo is best compared to other London tourist attractions, rather than other UK zoos. London is going through a period of extreme, rapid gentrification, and its tourist attractions are very much a day out for moneyed visitors or middle/upper-class Londoners. Central London is on its way to becoming a museum of itself, and based on observations during visits, I think low-income families are one of the demographics least likely to make a trip to London zoo, especially when Paradise Park and Colchester are easy to reach, or if you're going to blow a huge sum of money then Chessington would provide a theme park as well. People on low-incomes are being priced out of the central boroughs, and soon it will be easier for many to reach Paradise Park or Colchester in terms of transport links than it is to get to Regent's Park. Perhaps in recognition of this, the previous Mayor, a well-known champion of ZSL, did have a subsidised scheme going to ensure every London schoolkid got a free trip to the zoo, but this was scrapped by the current Mayor. But hey, everyone loves Boris, right?

There are many London attractions where there is no 'free' public space to eat food you've brought with you (i.e seating only in cafes etc), with the zoo this isn't the case and you can find somewhere interesting to sit and eat while watching animals. As kids we never bought food inside the zoo.

Also, unlike many top-tier London attractions, ZSL actually pay their catering staff above the living wage, kudos to them for doing so.
 
Pertinax said:
More 'Musical cages' at ZSL. This one seems to do away with the idea of having only African Monkeys in the Gorilla Kingdom area. I think its time the awful fake tree was removed- it never fulfilled its original purpose and now it hasn't got one at all! Maybe in the winter?
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I think moving the diana monkeys to what is a quiet corner of the zoo in a well-planted enclosure is a good idea if they plan to persevere with the group (I'm guessing after the elderly male, who isn't likely to breed, passes away), as the females will still hopefully be of breeding age, and confident/established in this quieter location.

London seems to have maintained red-faced black spider monkeys for longer than any of their other current large monkey species. Moving them to the former colobus/diana cage seems odd, definitely not a great deal of height in this enclosure, but then it is no lower than their previous Sobell cage and is larger in area. Only Welsh Mountain and Twycross zoos still hold these in the UK?

Is the (old jaguar?) cat terraces enclosure of a good height for the gibbons?
 
johnstoni2 said:
I think moving the diana monkeys to what is a quiet corner of the zoo in a well-planted enclosure is a good idea if they plan to persevere with the group (I'm guessing after the elderly male, who isn't likely to breed, passes away), as the females will still hopefully be of breeding age, and confident/established in this quieter location.

London seems to have maintained red-faced black spider monkeys for longer than any of their other current large monkey species. Moving them to the former colobus/diana cage seems odd, definitely not a great deal of height in this enclosure, but then it is no lower than their previous Sobell cage and is larger in area. Only Welsh Mountain and Twycross zoos still hold these in the UK?

Is the (old jaguar?) cat terraces enclosure of a good height for the gibbons?
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From memory, i wouldn't say it's of a good height for gibbons or most primates, nor any of the other cat terrace enclosures. They are far more suited to smaller cat species (lynx downwards ) or other carnivores e.g binturong or fossa maybe.
 
I don't really understand why another option hasn't been tried, in the shape of building additional primate accommodation on the canal slope below the Clore.
 
I really would investigate opportunities for relocating some primate species to Whipsnade. The black faced spider monkeys are a good example.

And/Or spruce up the S.America area and have multi species exhibit (???).
 
johnstoni2 said:
London zoo is best compared to other London tourist attractions, rather than other UK zoos. London is going through a period of extreme, rapid gentrification, and its tourist attractions are very much a day out for moneyed visitors or middle/upper-class Londoners. Central London is on its way to becoming a museum of itself, and based on observations during visits, I think low-income families are one of the demographics least likely to make a trip to London zoo, especially when Paradise Park and Colchester are easy to reach, or if you're going to blow a huge sum of money then Chessington would provide a theme park as well. People on low-incomes are being priced out of the central boroughs, and soon it will be easier for many to reach Paradise Park or Colchester in terms of transport links than it is to get to Regent's Park. Perhaps in recognition of this, the previous Mayor, a well-known champion of ZSL, did have a subsidised scheme going to ensure every London schoolkid got a free trip to the zoo, but this was scrapped by the current Mayor. But hey, everyone loves Boris, right?

There are many London attractions where there is no 'free' public space to eat food you've brought with you (i.e seating only in cafes etc), with the zoo this isn't the case and you can find somewhere interesting to sit and eat while watching animals. As kids we never bought food inside the zoo.

Also, unlike many top-tier London attractions, ZSL actually pay their catering staff above the living wage, kudos to them for doing so.
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Yes, it was a shame that the current Mayor of London scrapped the kid's free school trips, it was an excellent idea allowing children who's families could not afford it, the pleasure of visiting the zoo, it also provided extra income for the zoo. I have just finished reading Ken Livingstone's autobiography/memoirs, "You can't say that".This copius volume reveals a life long interest Mr. Livingstone has had with London Zoo. He applied for a job there when leaving school, but there were no vacancies at the time, he was a fan of Guy the gorilla and used to feed him treats when feeding was allowed.As a youngster he kept a large collection of reptiles and amphibians, and interest that has remained with him all his life. It is also mentioned in the book that English Heritage complained about the penguins leaving the Lubitkin pool for better accommodation, they requested that the penguins should be returned to the Lubitkin exhibit. Also in 2009, Ken Livingstone married his partner Emma at London Zoo, at the Mappin Terrace.
 
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