Blackpool Zoo

We had a really nice day at Blackpool Zoo and overall really enjoyed it. There was plenty to see, the zoo was clean and well looked after, and it made for a lovely family day out. The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 was a few little things. As soon as we got through the entrance we were approached straight away and asked to pose for a photo and told we could pay for it on the way out. I understand it’s a nice option for some people, but being approached the second we walked in felt a bit full on and caught us off guard. We did buy the photo, but it all felt very rushed and there wasn’t really any effort made to make sure it came out nicely — none of us were smiling and it was just taken so quickly. The food prices also felt quite expensive, and the cokes were genuinely awful. They were completely flat, tasted really off, and were bad enough that we ended up throwing them away, which was disappointing especially after paying the prices there. Aside from those things we had a lovely time, really enjoyed seeing the animals, and would definitely come back.

Zoo experience was good but my son got food poisoning from the subway take out in the zoo cafe, so avoid at all costs.

I am genuinely shocked by both our experience at Blackpool Zoo and the way our complaint has been handled afterwards. As a family, we spent in excess of £550 across tickets, parking, food, photographs and purchases in the gift shop. Unfortunately, the weather conditions on the day were absolutely dreadful - heavy rain, freezing temperatures and severe winds. While I completely understand that weather is beyond the zoo’s control, the conditions made it impossible to properly enjoy what is predominantly an outdoor attraction. We were only able to stay for less than two hours before it became unbearable. The children were extremely upset throughout the visit and we barely saw any animals. A staff member even acknowledged the conditions and advised us to contact management afterwards. Importantly, we did NOT request a refund. We simply asked whether the zoo would consider allowing us to revisit on another day so the children could actually experience the zoo properly. Considering the amount we spent, and the fact we would have spent even more money returning, I did not think this was an unreasonable request. The response from customer services, however, has been appalling. Our concerns were repeatedly dismissed with references to “policy,” there was absolutely no empathy shown, and not one person acknowledged the distress caused to the children. Since then, further emails requesting escalation information and complaints procedures have simply been ignored altogether. My last five emails have been totally ignored. At this stage, my complaint is no longer just about the weather or the visit itself, it is more about the disgraceful customer service and complete lack of compassion shown afterwards. I have never experienced such poor complaint handling from a company of this size and would strongly advise others to consider this before booking. It’s a disgrace. Also consider the cafeteria’s poor hygiene and terrible food quality.