Bristol Zoo (Clifton) to CLOSE

[JamesBCFC]

Remember being at the zoo one day in the summer.

Beautiful day, blue skies, then out of nowhere torrential rain.

We went into the nearest building, and 10 seconds later the sprinklers turned on.

 

Turns out the one we chose had a load of butterflies and other insects used to amazon rainforest type weather.

[ExiledAjax]

Mum and Dad would take me and my sisters almost every fortnight when we were kids. I just about remember Wendy the elephant and the polar bears before they died or were moved on.

Fond memories of climbing some of the trees - there was one in particular near the gibbons and meerkats where the canopy formed a kind of dome. You could go under it and not see out from inside, magical for a 6 or 7 year-old.

Having said all that, it is the correct decision to move to a bigger and more spacious site.

[Selred]

On 28/11/2020 at 05:21, City oz said:

There was also an amusing story in the media some years back now where the bloke taking money for parking external to the zoo didn’t actually work for the zoo or the council. The zoo thought he was collecting money for the council and the council thought he was collecting money for the zoo. He must of made thousands over the years.

Sadly a myth, but a terrific story which made I smile.

[Nicki's soulmate]

On 28/11/2020 at 05:21, City oz said:

Bad news. I remember on many occasions  visiting the zoo in my younger years. I have fond memories of the zoo. When I was a kid the best ones for me were the seal feeding that usually occurred about 3.00pm. I also remember the two elephants that were there in the late 60,s and early 70,s. One was an African elephant and one was an Indian elephant, one had bigger ears than than the other and apparently this is the way you could tell by their origin.

There was also an amusing story in the media some years back now where the bloke taking money for parking external to the zoo didn’t actually work for the zoo or the council. The zoo thought he was collecting money for the council and the council thought he was collecting money for the zoo. He must of made thousands over the years.

The elephants were called Wendy and Christina 

[Northern Red]

#prayfortilly

[TonyTonyTony]

On 03/12/2020 at 16:12, Selred said:

Sadly a myth, but a terrific story which made I smile.

Do you know who owned the car park? Was it the zoo, or was it the council?

[BigTone]

On 27/11/2020 at 15:38, TonyTonyTony said:

Thats so sad. Ive been going to Bristol zoo ever since school. Had my first date with my wife there. So many memories.

Last time i went though it did look very run down and Covid has killed it

Once famous for the white Tigers. Used to love going there as a kid.

[BigTone]

17 minutes ago, TomF said:

It'll always hold a place for me that's for sure.

I like your dress Tom

[The Fat Controller]

1 hour ago, BigTone said:

I like your dress Tom

Bit much for a trip to the zoo though, isn't it?

[James54De]

8 hours ago, TomF said:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-56016584

I can see the Clifton & Hotwells Improvement Society already foooooumin.  

Does look awful.

[BigTone]

On 28/11/2020 at 21:36, TomF said:

As I say a lot of the buildings are listed so actually limited development scope - main entrance, south entrance gates, the clifton pavilion, the old giraffe house. All of those are G2 listed 

Whoever buys the Giraffe house will certainly gave some neck.

[BigTone]

12 hours ago, BigTone said:

Whoever buys the Giraffe house will certainly gave some neck.

Have some neck I mean

Bloody preemptive text !!

Edited February 12, 2021 by BigTone

[Northern Red]

Confirmed that the Zoo will close on 3rd September:

Quote

Part of the 12-acre site will be redeveloped into housing while the remaining gardens will be open for the public to enter free of charge.

This section will include a children's play area and the theatre for cultural and education talks, workshops and seasonal events.

The zoo's Monkey Temple and entrance will also be retained - the latter will become the Clifton Conservation Hub including a public café and exhibition space.

It will also become the home of the Avon Gorge and Downs Wildlife Project.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-60377243

[robin for life]

Not a person, but I think its sad that on a Bristol City Forum, there is no mention that our Amazing Zoo, the 5th Oldest in the world, and after 186 amazing years closed its doors for the last time yesterday.

RIP Bristol Zoo

[Slippin cider]

6 hours ago, robin for life said:

Not a person, but I think its sad that on a Bristol City Forum, there is no mention that our Amazing Zoo, the 5th Oldest in the world, and after 186 amazing years closed its doors for the last time yesterday.

RIP Bristol Zoo

So it’s been there for 186 years and only now is it deemed too small! …BCC …selling off the assets so that they make millions for the land for the wealthy to buy a rabbit hutch flat for an exorbitant amount .greedy bastards! 
What’s next? …..

[robin for life]

5 minutes ago, Slippin cider said:

So it’s been there for 186 years and only now is it deemed too small! …BCC …selling off the assets so that they make millions for the land for the wealthy to buy a rabbit hutch flat for an exorbitant amount .greedy bastards! 
What’s next? …..

Not totally true. The site that is Bristol is flawed so it can't hold big species of animals anymore under current Zoo Legislation. I would happily go into detail, but I wouldn't want to bore the pants off people who probably have little interest in the Zoo / Animal industry.

The Zoo is being sold, but it will take a long time to sell and the money it makes will be reinvested into Wild Place Project which will be rebranded in 2024 as the new Bristol Zoo. Until planning goes through and the site is sold at Clifton, none of that can happen however. 

I wouldn't say Bristol Zoo is being greedy, you may not realise this, but they are a charity which supports animal conservation projects all over the world and the Clifton site was losing so much money, and the animals were mainly in exhibits which was not up to current standards. The lack of popularity in visitors, forced their hand some what and Covid done the rest. This was not about the Zoo or owners making millions as you allude, this was dealing with the current demographic and also securing the future of the charity and the conservation projects it supports. 

[Slippin cider]

Rhubarb! ….you believe what you want matey 

[Erithacus]

Went the other day to rekindle some ancient memories. Seems a shame that it won't be there anymore, but the world really has changed in that time.

 

[CyderInACan]

So many memories. But it has been looking tired these past few years. It's a shame but it's the right decision. They have to make sure, though, that the legacy of that site is one that Bristol can be proud of ie not just loads and loads of flats. It should still be a site that the people of Bristol can be proud of. 

[robin for life]

7 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

So many memories. But it has been looking tired these past few years. It's a shame but it's the right decision. They have to make sure, though, that the legacy of that site is one that Bristol can be proud of ie not just loads and loads of flats. It should still be a site that the people of Bristol can be proud of. 

If you have seen the plans, you will know that is very much the case. It is far from a housing estate and the gardens will remain free for people to visit, with access to play areas and a museum and a cafe. It is not being converted to a housing estate !

[CyderInACan]

2 minutes ago, robin for life said:

If you have seen the plans, you will know that is very much the case. It is far from a housing estate and the gardens will remain free for people to visit, with access to play areas and a museum and a cafe. It is not being converted to a housing estate !

That's all they are at the moment, though, just "plans". Most developments' plans change quite considerably from v1 to the finished article though. I hope you're right mind. 

[robin for life]

9 minutes ago, CyderInACan said:

That's all they are at the moment, though, just "plans". Most developments' plans change quite considerably from v1 to the finished article though. I hope you're right mind. 

To be clear, the plans are set by Bristol Zoo and it will ONLY be sold to a developer who follows the plans secured by Bristol Zoo, it is not for sale under any other method. It is only for sale to follow the plan Bristol Zoo have set out, which is probably why it hasn't been sold yet! As planning hasn't even been secured yet. 

[CyderInACan]

29 minutes ago, robin for life said:

To be clear, the plans are set by Bristol Zoo and it will ONLY be sold to a developer who follows the plans secured by Bristol Zoo, it is not for sale under any other method. It is only for sale to follow the plan Bristol Zoo have set out, which is probably why it hasn't been sold yet! As planning hasn't even been secured yet. 

That sounds fine but what if no one comes forward in line with the plans? If the sale & redevelopment funds the Wild Place expansion surely at some point they might have to take a more commercial view. 

[phantom]

The thing that I found strange, I always assumed that the day the zoo closed the animals were being moved to the new venue to open not long after

Any idea what is happening to the animals in the meantime?

[CyderInACan]

5 minutes ago, TomF said:

Given the value of land around that area they won't have any issue. 

Maybe not but these are very uncertain times 

[Slippin cider]

4 hours ago, TomF said:

The land is owned by the Bristol Zoological Society.  How is it BCC's fault? 

Because everything is BCCs fault …and I blame LJ! 

[robin for life]

6 hours ago, phantom said:

The thing that I found strange, I always assumed that the day the zoo closed the animals were being moved to the new venue to open not long after

Any idea what is happening to the animals in the meantime?

I can answer some of this for you.

Only Gorilla's, Blue Eyed Black Lemurs, certain fish species, reptiles and birds including Tarictic Hornbills, Sumatran Laughingthrush and Sorocco Doves will be going to Wild Place, other animals were placed on a surplus list and movements to other zoos have been arranged, this will take place over the next couple of months. Some animals had belong to the European Breeding Program (EEP) will have had moves decided for them by the stud book. 

The Gorillas will probably stay at the Clifton site until 2024, but those are the only ones who will be affected. Also some animals may have not yet been found new collections, so they will stay in Clifton until they do. Whilst the zoo is closed to the public, staff have still got jobs until January, although some have already taken redundancy, and some have been transferred to Wild Place for work. 

3 hours ago, Slippin cider said:

Because everything is BCCs fault …and I blame LJ! 

What about Bruce Almighty himself MA?

[Erithacus]

Having chatted to some of the staff I understand that some of the old buildings and quite a few mature trees specimens are protected items and are not to be touched by developers. That has made the prospective planning a little more tricky than developers were hoping for and hence has caused some reassessment of the, er, profits. Given a free hand the site would be cleared and the land prices in Clifton would have raised a massive net gain, but that won't happen. Keep an eye on the manoeuvring from here on.

Also heard that some of the staff will move to Wild Place, along with some of the volunteers; other permanent staff are due to go to other sites, but there will be some redundancies. I said if there is a spare cage for threatened species, some of the keepers might occupy it.

[Offside]

I took the kids there last week for the first time in ages. I liked seeing remnants of things I remember as a kid (like the monkey temple and even part of the old polar bear enclosure, which brought back the sad memory of the unhappy polar bear that used to pace up and down). It’s probably unlikely, but I really hope things like those and the gardens can be preserved in whatever they build there. It’s a shame to see it go, but the site did feel very small. 

[t_b]

21 hours ago, Erithacus said:

Having chatted to some of the staff I understand that some of the old buildings and quite a few mature trees specimens are protected items and are not to be touched by developers. That has made the prospective planning a little more tricky than developers were hoping for and hence has caused some reassessment of the, er, profits. Given a free hand the site would be cleared and the land prices in Clifton would have raised a massive net gain, but that won't happen. Keep an eye on the manoeuvring from here on.

You can see from the proposed plans that certain buildings are having to be retained. If you look online at the portal, the old elephant/giraffe/now gorilla house is basically converted as it.