Dudley Zoo bosses welcome rise in visitor numbers
Dudley Zoo is celebrating a five per cent rise in visitor numbers, with bosses hailing this summer as one of the best ever for the tourist attraction.
The success has helped it post profits of £75,000 over the last financial year.
Zoo bosses today said despite poor weather in 2012, an additional 24,000 visitors passed through the gates.
They said it had brought the year's visitor figures to a total of 225,429.
And the attraction also revealed a total income for the 2012/13 financial year of £3,053, 060.
Its total annual costs over the same period were £2,978,052.
An annual review published by the zoo shows the main source of revenue was visitor admissions and gift aid which generated £1,937,647.
Retail, catering and events were also a main source of cash bringing in £687,759 while contributions towards scheduled monuments and listed buildings raised £250,000.
Smaller amounts were generated by donations, investment income and rental income. Over the period the attraction spent £2,041,419 on animal welfare, education and conservation and £636,092 on trading costs. Around £126,986 was spent on investment in future projects and £128,650 in governance costs.
Other expenditure was on Heritage Lottery Fund costs.
Zoo bosses said they were delighted with both visitor numbers over the financial year and the level of profits which had been achieved. Zoo chief executive Peter Suddock said it was a tremendous achievement for a tourist attraction especially in a tough economic climate.
"We are delighted with both the profits and visitor numbers recorded during the 2012/13 financial year and indications are we are set to do even better in the present one," he said.
"The profits made will all be re-invested into projects at the zoo. At the moment we are in the middle of a major building programme, including work on the new entrance.
"This is a very strong showing for the zoo. It has taken a lot of hard work but we are very pleased."
