The seven and a half acre site was opened to the public in 1966, attracting over 8,000 visitors on the peak day of its first week.
[1] However the success did not last long as within a decade local papers were reporting on the "shabbiness, lack of amenities and the conditions in which the animals were kept".
[1] Adding to the problems keeper Richard McCormack was charged by a two tonne hippo named Harry and suffered cracked ribs, broken collarbones, a crushed liver and bite marks.
[4] The zoo closed in 1980[5] and the site was sold off and developed as a sports club (currently David Lloyd Leisure) in 1983.
A memorable feature of the zoo was the 35 foot (10.6 metre) tall fibreglass Zulu which stood over the entrance.