Bristol Zoo to Auction Historic Items from Former Site

A venerable zoological institution is offering individuals the chance to acquire a piece of its heritage by making items from its previous location available for auction. Bristol Zoo Gardens closed its gates at the Clifton premises in September 2022, after 186 years, to relocate to a new facility situated near junction 17 of the M5. Among the approximately 300 articles slated for sale are posters, various furniture pieces, and a bust of Alfred, the zoo’s renowned gorilla. The proceeds from these sales are designated for the new site and for conservation initiatives. Hannah Windross, a director at Bristol Zoological Society, stated, “It will not only go to help build the new zoo but we also have projects across the world where we work saving animals in the wild.” Ms. Windross indicated that the zoo transported as much as feasible from the old site to the new Bristol Zoo Project, but it was not possible to bring everything. She commented, “We spent so long cataloguing everything and making sure we preserved the most important bits and now we’ve created an opportunity for everyone to own a piece of our history.” Two online auctions are scheduled to commence on Friday, managed by the Bristol-based company Auctioneum. Andrew Stowe, an employee of Auctioneum, noted that many of the items carry a sense of nostalgia. He remarked, “There are things that are worth money because of what they are and there are others that we know are going to be really popular because people remember sitting on the benches, buying something from the kiosks or eating in the restaurant.” He added, “There are some amazing pieces here that have incredible stories attached to them, be it the actual story or the connection people had with it.” This auction takes place as the zoo faces opposition regarding its proposals to construct 196 residential units on the Clifton site. Earlier this week, the campaign group Save Bristol Gardens Alliance succeeded in a legal challenge against these plans, which will now proceed to a judicial review. The Bristol Zoological Society expressed its disappointment with the decision, stating it would “delay development that will bring much-needed housing to Bristol” and make the old site’s gardens accessible for free for the first time. The society further added that postponing the sale of the site would impede the progress of the Bristol Zoo Project.