As the new year starts -2016, I wondered exactly how many UK collections still produce a proper zoo guide book these days ? The typical zoo guide book has been in a steady decline, for many reasons, in recent years, but there are a few zoos that still produce one. Off the top of my head I can think of the following that did in 2015; ZSL London Zoo ZSL Whipsnade. Durrell (Jersey). Marwell Zoo. Oceanarium (Bournemouth). Blue Reef Aquarium (Southsea). Chester? Paignton ? Bristol ? Can anyone else add to those ??
Off the top of my head the following were still selling* guidebooks in 2015: Howletts Port Lympne Paignton (same as 2014's) Blair Drummond Bristol (insanely expensive at £10) Hamerton Hawk Conservancy (very slight guide given free on entry) All the Sealife Centres (I think) Cotswold Wildlife Park (same as 2014's) Yorkshire Wildlife Park (new one annually) West Midlands Safari Park Woburn Abbey Safari Park As stated, the above list is off the top of my head and far from exhaustive. I'm sure others will come and add many more. The Bartlett Society website will also give a more extensive summary. Two key collections not selling guides are Chester and Edinburgh. Neither have for quite a while which I find amazing (surely if Hamerton can make it pay this implies that they're missing out on significant income streams by not producing a guidebook). Twycross now seems to have stopped selling guides after many years of bringing out a new one almost every year. *though the may not have necessarily been brought out in 2015.
The two Aspinall guidebooks are new for 2015. Blackpool Zoo and Knowsley Safari Park are still releasing guidebooks each year too, I believe.
Longleat produce an annual one and have done for many years Blue Planet Aquarium, Paradise Park (Hayle) and Birdland (B on W) all produced 2015 guides Welsh Mountain were selling the same version as 2014 in 2015 (with the exception of a 25th anniversary logo removed from the cover) Drusillas Park produce a new guide every year or other year (latest edition released July 2015) Banham also released a 2015 guide though I'm not sure on the current guidebook situation with Africa Alive.. Wingham still sell a guidebook but haven't done a new edition recently The other surprise from a visit a few weeks ago was Bristol Aquarium. New guide onsale now (Lionfish cover)
The Deep still produces a guidebook, then Washington Wetland Centre produces a pamphlet, which contained more information than 2015's YWP guidebook!
Longleat`s guide is on a par with Bristol`s in terms of price, but there is a limit to how much zoos should charge for a guidebook. I agree about the Hawk Conservancy guide - it is hardly much of a guide at all and more to do with promoting their charity status and conservation work instead of talking about the collection itself. I also agree about Chester - there is no good reason whatsoever why such an important major UK zoo should not produce a guidebook !!
Thanks - two more that really should have a guide book. One of the last Dudley ones was a strange type of notepad format if I remember correctly. Although the ring-binder design can work very well ie; like Marwell`s version etc, but that Dudley one was awful and almost pointless in content.
The two Aspinall guides were of exceptional quality I thought, a bit like Colchester`s 2014 "bear" one which was a cracker too.
Having just visited longleat and birdworld I was surprised at the price difference. Both were good quality although Birdworld was printed on glossy paper and cost a mere £1.99 whereas longleat cost £5 and more of a brochure. Not many quality guidebooks for £1.99 now a days are there?
Yes the last Longleat guides I bought were quite expensive, though they were A4 size. You are right, not many available at £1.99 anymore!
