Twycross Zoo Red Heads Go Free - 19th August

An interesting promotion being run by the zoo. Do people think that this is fair that some members of the public get in free whilst others don't based on their physical appearance?

http://twycrosszoo.org/red-heads-go-free-on-august-19th-to-celebrate-world-orang-utan-day/

 

I agree. There's no problem with this. I'm pretty sure several American zoos do stuff like this as well. It's kind of like letting children in free on certain days or something. Last time I went to Beardsley, we got in at a discount because we were Hispanic and there was some Hispanic festival going on or something at the time.

~Thylo

 

Sorry, I didn't realise it had already been mentioned in the Twycross thread. I don't quite know where I stand on these kind of promotions and you have to ask where the line should be drawn.

 

Sometime in the 1960s probably.

 

As a redhead, I can't say that I'm offended at all, and I can't really see why anyone would be. Its raising awareness for something, and making the zoo money, so I don't really see what the problem is. Redheads generally get a hard time, so its nice to have the occasional perk

 

Its the red heads who have gone bald I feel for.

 

I must admit well done Twycross PR as this as again been raised on zoo chat at least people are talking about it.

 

Offering discounts to specific groups is not unique to Twycross, plenty of zoos give free entry to mothers on mothers Day, fathers on Fathers Day, that's their choice surely and if it brings in extra visitors, why should it matter! I don't see it as discrimination. There have also been cases of people with a specific name or birthday being given free entry at other zoos in the UK in recent years.

 

and maybe red elsewhere...

 

It causes me to wonder what will be in the forefront of people's minds who attend this event on world orang day, the plight of the animal itself in its very precarious state in the wild and ways of conserving the species, or simply just getting in for nowt?

 

I find that rather alarming that you base your view on whether a policy is discriminative based on the number of extra visitors that come through the gates.

 

That was badly worded, I didn't mean that. Someone was bound to pick up on that! 'i don't see it as discrimination' should have been a new sentence really!
Anyway I'm not interested in prolonging my part in this argument. As I've said free entry is not unique to Twycross, so I see no need for this to be used as another reason to bash the zoo(whatever faults it may have, this isn't one of them!).

 

Well I've never seen the zoo so busy, the queues to get in were right down to the far car park for the turn styles. About a quarter of people I'd say were a red head of some variety. Lots of staff directing people to the free entry gate so the queues seemed to moving quite quickly. Really nice atmosphere here too. Sun is shining and tills are ringing Just enjoying my lunch as the queues are finally no longer reaching the himalaya cafe. Wonder if they will reach 11,000 or more...?

 

Well I am pleased the zoo has a large number of visitors today, but I am sure if a cinema offered free admission to red heads for the day they would also have a packed house, also if a train company offered free rides it would also be standing room only, I hope all these free admissions spend in the gift shop and cafes, I would be very interested to see the actual amount taken today at the pay box in comparison to the three Tuesdays previous. PS. Maz, did you by any chance see Jambo and Mongo outside today at the old gorilla house?, thanks.

 

You'e probably right. But then again, that's the point The idea was to get as many people to show up as possible, even if one-fourth were getting in free. It still sounds like they got more visitation of paying guests than usual as well. So a success in my book.

~Thylo