There’s been an outpouring of sadness at a Norfolk zoo, as the team behind its “beloved” bird shows worked its final shift amid company-wide job cuts.
Banham Zoo's Birds of the World show and more than 60pc of the team behind it have been axed as part of a wave of money-saving redundancies, with the final display taking place Friday morning.
There had been hopes the shows would continue, despite more than 20 employees being made redundant across the zoo and its sister site, Africa Alive.
But staff working at the park confirmed the displays would be removed from the zoo’s offering as of the new year.
Hannah Gourlay, one of the handlers losing her job, said some of the team members had been working in the role for nearly 10 years, and that everyone was “heartbroken” to be leaving.
She said: “For all of us it has been a dream job come true but short lived.
“The cuts came with no warning but have been received with mass upset both within the company and by the public.
“Being such a small team, we find ourselves bonded like a family - both people and animals - and I'm so sad to leave it all behind.”
The job cuts have been widely criticised by visitors to the zoo, with many saying they plan to boycott the park.
An online petition urging park management to reconsider its decision has been signed by nearly 2,000 people.
Tracey Stockdale, who’s been attending the shows for the past two years, said: “We fought so hard to get them to keep the displays and it's just the cruellest decision imaginable, especially a few days before Christmas.
“A lot of regular visitors are saying the shows are the only reason they’ve renewed their season tickets - I’m positive the zoo will see visitor numbers plummet as a result.”
A spokesperson for Banham Zoo said: "Behind the scenes, we're actively developing new visitor engagement activities and outlining plans for 2024.
"We've got some exciting events in the works, aiming to capture the hearts of both longstanding members and visitors alike.
"We recognise the significance of the shows to our community, and we're grateful for the wonderful memories they have helped create over the past 20 years.
"Although the shows will take a break for the remainder of 2023 and the initial weeks of 2024, we are actively working with the reduced ETP team and our Animal Management department on new visitor engagement activities, with the hope of the shows returning in 2024.
"Throughout this hiatus, the utmost priority is the care and well-being of our birds and animals. Rest assured; their care will not be compromised."
WHAT IS HAPPENING AT BANHAM ZOO?
The charity behind Banham Zoo and Africa Alive announced last month that up to 20 of its employees were being made redundant, with “significant savings” required to keep the parks open.
Shortly after the announcement, the charity's CEO Claudia Roberts resigned, following what she described as years of "harassment and false accusations".
She also claimed she had been targeted by anonymous phone, text, email and social media messages in recent days, as news of the redundancies emerged.
Ms Roberts had been the driving force behind a controversial multi-million pound, 10 year project to increase the focus at Banham Zoo - the larger of the two sites - on wildlife from the British Isles.
Critics have claimed that the changes risk undermining the attraction's traditional appeal. But supporters say they are vital for the long term future of the organisation.
As well as accusations of abuse aimed at Ms Roberts, employees have also been in contact with this newspaper detailing what they describe as a “whirlwind” approach to managing the venue.
One anonymous staff member, who lost their job at Banham Zoo last month, said: “For the past four years the culture has been getting worse and worse, with people scared to criticise the running of things.
“It’s felt all over the place and like there’s no clear direction.”
Another former staff member claimed a “toxic culture” had left staff feeling “belittled and broken”.
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