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Chester Zoo unveils plans for overnight safari lodges where you can wake up to giraffes

Proposals for 63 lodges around "a large body of water" aim to turn the zoo into a Savannah habitat.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 21st June 2022

Animal-lovers could soon be able to stay overnight in a safari lodge and wake up to see giraffes and other animals roaming freely.

This is because, according to reports by CheshireLive, Chester Zoo has this week unveiled and resubmitted exciting plans to build a range of safari-style lodges and tents on a plot of land that is currently owned by the zoo, but not actively-used.

The zoo was originally given planning permission to build 28 lodges and 14 tents in September 2019, but the COVID-19 pandemic meant the project had to be put on hold. 

But now, bosses at the UK’s biggest charity zoo have expanded and resubmitted proposals for their ‘Natural Vision’ masterplan to a total of 63 lodges around “a large body of water”, which aims to turn the popular tourist attraction into a Savannah habitat with an African street, a restaurant and bar, and a welcome building.

According to the planning documents, the 63 lodges – which would be built around a lake – would all be of varying styles and sizes, with 54 built initially, with the option to build a further nine in future. 

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They would either be four or six-bed lodges, including a king size bed and bunk beds, and zoo bosses say they are designed to blend into the landscape.

Chester Zoo has resubmitted exciting plans to build a range of safari-style lodges and tents on unused land / Credit: Chester Zoo
Proposals for the 63 lodges around “a large body of water” aim to turn the zoo into a Savannah habitat / Credit: Chester Zoo

To maintain this habitat, trees appropriate for the African Savannah landscape will be sporadically-planted, while a denser and greener ‘islands zone’ will be created to provide greater species diversity for wildlife.

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Read more: Chester Zoo has been crowned the best large visitor attraction in England for 2022

The Grasslands centrepiece will be home to multiple rare and endangered species – including Rothschild’s giraffe, Grevy’s zebra, ostrich, and antelope – all living alongside one another, and there will also be two giraffe feeding stations next to the Bachelor Giraffe Paddock too, with one reserved exclusively for guests of two of the lodges. 

An ‘island’ in the centre of the lake would be used as an events space.

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The on-site restaurant is set to seat up to 120 people, who can all tuck into freshly-prepared breakfasts, lunches, and dinner services – with the first-floor views overlooking the lake and the giraffe enclosure.

An ‘island’ in the centre of the lake would be used as an events space / Credit: Chester Zoo
There will also be two giraffe feeding stations, with one reserved exclusively for guests of the lodges / Credit: Chester Zoo

Jamie Christon – Chief Operating Officer at Chester Zoo – said of the proposals back in 2019: “Grasslands will be a phenomenal experience and will cement Chester Zoo’s standing as one of the world’s very best attractions.

“Featuring state-of-the-art conservation breeding facilities for a range of threatened African species, Grasslands will yet again see the zoo push the boundaries of world-class animal care.

“Crucially, it will bring our vital, global conservation work to life for visitors, while boosting the zoo’s charitable income to further help achieve our mission to prevent extinction, here in the UK and around the world.”

Chester Zoo says it aims to open the lodges sometime in mid-2023.

Featured Image – Chester Zoo

News

Andy Burnham and Bev Craig pen hard-hitting letter to Prime Minister over rumoured scrapping of HS2 to Manchester

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Andy Burnham and Cllr Bev Craig have penned a hard-hitting letter to Rishi Sunak to “express concern” about the future of HS2.

It comes after alarming reports have emerged this week that the Prime Minister is apparently considering axing plans for the HS2 rail link to run from Birmingham to Manchester amid soaring costs and countless delays.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and several major business leaders may have hit out at these rumours – but Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has suggested the scheme is currently “out of control”, while former transport secretary Grant Shapps said the Government wouldn’t be able to cope if costs continued on an upward trajectory.

With a decision on the fate of the already-contentious project’s Manchester leg expected in the coming days, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and the Leader of Manchester City Council have joined forces in their stance against the “swirling rumours”.

The pair have penned a hard-hitting letter directly to the Prime Minister to call out the Government’s actions.

Local leaders have always maintained the view that the wrong HS2 solution for Greater Manchester could “damage” and have a wider impact on the north, and this latest letter addressed directly to the Prime Minister by the Mayor and Council Leader only reinforces that stance – with the pair calling it “deeply disrespectful” to residents and businesses in our region that the Government has not offered them a chance to consult on potential scrapping of the service.

Andy Burnham and Cllr Bev Craig say they’ve been “working with the Government for decades” on the HS2 project in order to best “galvanise support” and “maximise the once-in-a-generation opportunity” of the investment into northern infrastructure that offers.

But now, they’re becoming “increasingly concerned” about the Northern Powerhouse Rail (NPR) as a whole.

Andy Burnham and Bev Craig have penned a hard-hitting HS2 letter / Credit: Flickr | Manchester City Council

“At this stage, any change to the current plan for HS2 would have massive ramifications, not just for our city-region, but the North and Midlands too,” Mr Burnham and Cllr Craig stated in their letter.

“Any cancellation of HS2 to Manchester would effectively be cancelling NPR in its current form too, and we therefore find it deeply disrespectful to our residents and businesses that we have not been offered any opportunity to feed our views into this process nor have we received any information about what is being considered.

“We are completely in the dark and that simply isn’t right given how profoundly important this is for our part of the country.”

Mr Burnham and Cllr Craig conceded that whilst it is “reasonable” for any Government to want to ensure HS2 “delivers value for money”, and that prices do not “escalate out of control”, they do not believe the north should “have to pay for the Government’s mismanagement” of the HS2 budget.

“Our purpose in writing, first and foremost, is to ask you for the courtesy of a meeting before any final decision is taken,” the pair continued in their letter to Mr Sunak.

“We believe we are owed that at the very least.

The Prime Minister is reportedly considering axing plans for the HS2 rail link to Manchester / Credit: HS2

“If you were to agree to that, we would convey to you, in the strongest possible terms, that HS2 should not be scrapped as we believe the north of England needs new North-South and East-West rail infrastructure, and should not be forced to choose between them in the same way that London hasn’t been forced such a choice.

“However, if you are adamant on making changes to the scheme, we could be open to a discussion about prioritising the Northern section of the line, between Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly, so that it enables NPR to be built first.

“This would be conditional on two things – NPR being built in full, with an underground station at Manchester Piccadilly and a new line via Bradford, and a clear commitment that HS2 to Manchester is not being scrapped but re-phased and the protections left in place.

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“We believe this is a reasonable proposal to put to you given the circumstances we find ourselves in.

“If you refuse to accept any of what we are saying, we believe that people here will conclude that your promises to level up the North, on which this Government was elected, are utterly meaningless.”

Featured Image – HS2

News

Iconic Manchester nightclub Panacea reopens as IKaro, a new grill and champagne bar

The Manc The Manc

This week, an iconic Manchester venue will reopen its doors with a brand new concept.  

The legendary city centre nightclub known as Panacea is about to reopen as IKaro, a new grill and champagne bar on John Dalton Street.

The move follows an application for planning permission earlier this year and sees a new team into the former popular celebrity hotspot Panacea, which has been closed since 2015.

At the restaurant, diners will find two menus focusing on two different elements, fire and ice. On the first, you’ll find Grilled Lobster Tails, Japanese A5 Wagyu Ribeye, and Australian Wagyu Tomahawk. 

On the second an array of Sushi and Sashimi such as Torched Hand Dived Scallops and Bluefin Tuna Otoro. 

Behind the menus are talented sushi chef, Lattawan Buchanan, who’s spent time at popular restaurants Ivy Asia and former ‘Masterchef: The Professionals’ finalist, Exose Grant. 

Head Chef Exose Grant, said, “Our menu showcases the best of the land and sea. We’ll be using fresh, quality produce in the best possible way. Innovative and impeccably presented dishes that don’t compromise on flavour.”

Read more: Manchester City loanee João Cancelo looks ‘possessed’ in viral post-match interview

Behind the bar, you’ll find countless varieties of Champagne including a frequently changing sommelier’s selection of rare bottles which, in keeping with the venue’s reputation as a go-to late-night haunt, will be served up until doors close at 2.30am.

Head of bars, Sean McGuirk, said: “Alongside our extensive ‘by the bottle’ offering, you can expect elevated classic cocktails, as well as some uniquely extravagant options.

“Our team will play with flavours and theatrics to deliver an experience like no other.”

IKaro will mark its launch with a VIP event on Saturday 23 September before doors open to the public on Wednesday 27 September. 

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Company director, Zack Issak, said, “It’s long overdue that this popular space opened its doors once more and we’re thrilled to be able to do that.

“IKaro will create an unforgettable experience from start to finish. Guests will enjoy a choice of the world’s finest Champagnes, paired with the best Wagyu steaks and seafood on the market.”

Bookings for the intimate, 84-cover restaurant, are open now and can be made online at www.ikaro.co.uk for Wednesday 27 September onwards. 

Featured image – The Manc Group

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