Jen’S Shelter

Safari park closes for day

0 Comments | Milton Keynes Citizen (Milton Keynes, England), August 6, 2007

Woburn Safari Park closed on Saturday – traditionally one of its busiest days of the year – due to the Foot and Mouth Disease scare, losing an estimated [pounds sterling]50,000 in takings.

The park’s chief executive Chris Webster called a meeting among senior staff and vets at 9am on Saturday in response to the news that FMD had been discovered in a herd of cattle at a farm in Surrey.

Management decided to close the park unti further notice.

Mr Webster said: “This was not a light decision because we are a seasonal business and a weekend day in August is one of the busiest of the year with between 3,500 and 4,000 visitors coming to the park.

“We have lost between [pounds sterling]40,000 and [pounds sterling]50,000, money would be used to underwrite the costs taken during the winter.

“We got the news out as soon as we could, although we had a lot of people turn up and we can only apologise for their wasted journey.”

The park re-opened on Sunday, with all visitors screened: those who came from the infected area in Surrey were turned away as were anyone who worked with lifestock.

Mr Webster said the situation was under constant review adding: “We feel our understanding of the situation is solidifying all the time.”