Colchester Zoo calls for more Government support
The zoo is preparing to close its doors for the second time as England goes into lockdown.
It will be shut from 4.30pm today, 4th November, and hopes to reopen on the 3rd December.
The Prime Minister announced at the weekend that England would be placed into a lockdown for four weeks from 5th November in a bid to combat the rising cases of coronavirus.
It means, like the first lockdown, only essential retailers will be open to the public and non-essential places will have to close, including zoos.
While Colchester Zoo said the support they received from the public since reopening has been great, it is still trying to make up for the funds lost since it last closed its doors.
Curator Sarah Forsyth said: "The visitor numbers over the summer holidays and half term were fantastic, but the numbers were still dramatically reduced. We haven't been able to make up what a normal income would be for a normal year."
In response to the significant drop in visitor numbers and income this year, the zoo has had to reduce its expenditure.
Sarah continued: "It obviously means redundancies, which is really sad. It also means a lot of the projects we had planned, such as redevelopments, are not able to go ahead. It's not so much about the amount of income we've had, it's been more that we've just had to stop spending money and tighten our belts to make sure we can get through this winter."
During the second lockdown, Colchester Zoo said it will be taking full advantage of the furlough scheme for its staff, while ensuring there is enough people to care for their animal's needs.
Sarah said they would like more support to help keep up their daily work of supporting conservation projects and giving money to projects in the wild to make sure that can all continue.
She also called on the Government to consider giving zoos more of a chance to stay open during tougher coronavirus restrictions: "Stop lumping us in with the rest of the hospitality industry, we're a completely different environment, most of us are outdoor facilities. Why are we not able to stay open, even just our outdoor areas so we can still see some income.
"I think the disappointment is we've just been lumped back into the same as everybody else, when maybe they Government could have thought about us a little bit differently."
A spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said: "We understand the challenges zoos and aquariums have been facing due to the coronavirus pandemic. That is why we have set up a specialist fund to ensure that those facing severe financial difficulties can continue to provide the best possible care for their animals.
"We recently expanded eligibility criteria for this funding, and have made it easier for zoos and aquariums to plan ahead by encouraging them to apply for support well in advance of running into financial difficulties. We continue to monitor the situation and stand ready to process any applications as quickly as possible."
While Colchester Zoo's doors will be closed for the next four weeks, they told us they'll making more items from the shops available online in time for Christmas.
They're also encouraging people, where they can, to donate to their Emergency Operating Fund and plan to visit them in December.