Chester Zoo Reviews

What an awful experience.... We have been members of Chester zoo for 6 years with my eldest son getting his own pass as soon as he was three. We planned to do this for my youngest son too, but as our passes ran out on the 4th May (& my son turned three on 1st May), we thought we'd purchase his & renew ours all together. So as little treat for my eldest son doing well in his maths test we decided to 'hot foot it' to the zoo for the last hour only to be told by Chris C at the gate that my youngest, now that he's three (albeit 2 days ago) has to buy a ticket to get in. We went to guest services (& I'm presuming as a gesture of good will as we've been members for so long) my son was given a free ticket for the last hour. We walked up to the ticket barrier again with our passes & free ticket but Chris again (who I'm assuming has a huge chip on his shoulder) wouldn't let us in saying because he was three he had to PAY FOR A TICKET despite being given a ticket from guest services. He refused it on the grounds that it said £0.00 despite it being valid ticket that was issued. A trip back to guest services resulted in a lot of 'well he should really pay for a ticket'. I can't believe what a jobs-worth Chris was in the face of a 6 & 3 year old in tears, distraught they couldn't have one last hour at the zoo. Nor can I believe I was expected to buy an £18 ticket for AN HOUR, something despite the boys being upset, I wasn't prepared to do. Fortunately we spent a lovely hour in the park for free & I've cancelled my membership saving myself a shed load of money. We've had zoo passes for years and felt that we have been helping animal conservation whilst having enjoyable family time and lovely days out at the zoo. The zoo's marketing material implies that removal of funds will be detrimental to animal conservation but it appears many of the staff travel to the far corners of the earth to "check out" other zoos. So I'm guessing a couple of hundred pounds is a drop in the ocean as I certainly will not be renewing our family zoo pass. It's a pity because we loved our local zoo, but thanks to one mans pettiness, shortsightedness and being a total jobs-worth my boys are upset so I am determined never to return to this zoo.