Zoo ready to roar... once visitors are allowed to come in
TIM Morphew was pleased to see Prime Minister Boris Johnson announce that zoos and safari parks can reopen in England from this week.
But the zoo curator at Folly Farm, Pembrokeshire, is frustrated because similar measures have not yet been introduced in Wales.
The financial situation, he said, is getting desperate, with next to zero income.
Ahead of Mr Johnson’s announcement earlier this month, social media channels went into overdrive and Folly Farm was inundated with inquiries from people all over the country, said Mr Morphew.
The popular farm park and zoo has been working overtime while its gates remain shut in order to create a “Covid-secure” environment, but still needs more guidance from the Welsh Government.
“It’s frustrating for us,” said Mr Morphew. “And it’s confusing for the public, because social media has no country boundaries.
“People are reading about England zoos opening up and we’ve been inundated with people phoning up and emailing us, asking if we’re open now, which is pretty frustrating for us and pretty frustrating for them.
“Quite frankly, we still don’t really know when we can open under Welsh Government guidance.”
The park desperately needs a busy summer season to make up for what would have been a bumper Easter holiday and early spring season.
Speaking in April, managing director Chris Ebsworth predicted the summer would be “pivotal” for the fortunes of Folly Farm. With £60,000 going out every month just to feed the animals, the park can illafford to remain shut all summer.
“It would be nice to think that we may get some of the summer but it’s all going to depend on Government guidelines really,” added Mr Morphew.
During a recent press briefing, Ken Skates, the Welsh economy minister, said there was no set date for when zoos in Wales could open, but that he hoped it would be “sooner rather than later”.
Mr Skates said 60% of people in
Wales were still too scared to leave their own homes and that it was imperative that confidence was restored before attractions were reopened.
But Mr Morphew said Folly Farm was capable of opening with social distancing measures in place and had been meticulously planning this for weeks.
“We’re pretty confident we can open,” he explained. “It would be at a reduced scale, obviously, but we can open in a Covid-secure manner where public health would not be at risk.
“Our site is outdoors and we’ve put a huge amount of effort into it with booking schemes ready to go where we can limit people numbers through the park, barriers and oneway systems in place and screens up for our sales staff.”
Even if it meant limiting visitors to just local people, it would be a huge boost, said Mr Morphew.
“It would be something. At the moment we’ve got next to zero income, which is worrying when you’ve got £60,000 going out every month. Just local trade would help.
“Everyone has been hugely supportive on social media. Everyone
was ecstatic when they heard English zoos could open and they thought they’d be able to visit us too.
“When it’s safe, when we’re ready, we will open the doors and let people back in, in a controlled way,” he promised.
Mr Skates said the Welsh Government was “determined to do everything we can” to help the 30 licensed zoos across Wales.
A spokesman for Folly Farm said: “We’re aware we were never on the Welsh Government’s closed businesses list, but we’ve been effectively closed by lockdown first and now the five-mile travel guidance.
“We’re confident we can offer a safe, managed outdoor space, and we know from our loyal visitors there is the desire to return, but whilst the five-mile travel guidance is in place it makes it very hard for any attraction to trade.”
Chester Zoo has been given the all-clear to reopen after closure during lockdown left it facing several million pounds of debt.
There are fears many zoos and animal sanctuaries would be bankrupted if the shutdown extended into the summer months.
Speaking about the UK Government’s U-turn decision to reopen zoos, Mr Skates said Wales has “never legislated to keep zoos closed”.
He said they have not been prevented from reopening in Wales, but the biggest challenge will be “attracting people through the gates”.
The Welsh Mountain Zoo, overlooking Colwyn Bay, in north Wales, said it was “tremendous news” for England but said it was suffering “extreme financial damage” as the Welsh rules prevented it from reopening.
At the moment we’ve got next to zero income, which is worrying when you’ve got £60,000 going out every month. Just local trade would help
Folly Farm zoo curator Tim Morphew