Dudley Zoo's £300k plans for cafe and shop

A £300,000 'welcome plaza' with ticketing points, a shop and cafe will be created at Dudley Zoo, it was revealed today.

It will provide direct access to the attraction from the car park at the back of the site in Castle Hill.

The news follows yesterday's announcement of a £1.15 million revamp that will also see improvements made to other parts of the zoo and the restoration of attractions.

The plaza project, which is being funded by the attraction itself, will include reconfiguring eight turnstile entrances to allow immediate access from the public footpath.

As well as a shop and cafe, there will also be a family toilet block and ticketing points next to the flamingos, chairlift and camels.

Zoo chief executive Peter Suddock said today he believed the improvements would be welcomed by visitors and be a boost to the attraction as a whole.