Chester Zoo has released more tickets but urges visitors to be patient

Chester Zoo has released additional tickets for the end of July after selling out the previous dates. 

Tickets for Chester Zoo are in massive demand following the reopening of the attraction this week. 

Chester Zoo remained closed throughout the coronavirus pandemic and it threw the future of the zoo into doubt.

The huge social media campaign to Save Our Zoo ended up with the government announcing zoos could reopen earlier than the original proposed date of July 4th.

Chester Zoo reopened on Monday, June 15th, and millions of fans showed their support, buying tickets and selling out the slots for the next few weeks. 

The visitor capacity is currently capped to adhere to social-distancing rules and the bosses are regularly reassessing the coronavirus situation.

A Chester Zoo spokesman said: “The plan our guys here have is to constantly assess and constantly review.

“Our message is therefore to please bear with us and please try not be too disappointed if you’re unable to secure a slot just now, as once the teams have carefully assessed things it may well be the case that we can slowly increase capacity as we go along.

“We’re being really sensible and taking it step-by-step.”

Since the tickets went on sale on June 11th, Chester Zoo’s website has had over three million page views – compared to 384,000 in the same period last year.

Jamie Christon, chief operating officer at Chester Zoo, said: “It’s a huge relief to see visitors back at the zoo and there’s a real buzz of excitement about the place.

“However, while this week is celebratory, it’s important to recognise that the past three months of closure means there will still be some very challenging times ahead.

“The financial damage suffered has left a deep scar and the road to a full recovery remains uncertain. But now, as we once again start to safely welcome visitors back, we have some renewed hope that this great charity zoo has a future.”

Every single visitor must book online before visiting the zoo to allocate their allotted time. You can book for a full day visit or for a short afternoon visit. 

There are a number of safety measures in place to protect staff and customers within the zoo, including self-scanning ticket lanes, floor markings to clearly indicate two metre distances, multiple hand sanitisation points and a huge amount of signage and protective screens in all key locations and service areas.

You can head over to the Chester Zoo website here to get tickets.