Family-run tourist attraction 'under pressure'
BBCA family-run tourist attraction in Cornwall is grappling with a series of challenges including a fall in visitor numbers, its owners have said.
Paradise Park at Hayle was established in 1973 by the father of current directors Alison Hales and Nick Reynolds, after the family moved from London to set up a bird garden.
However visitor numbers have fallen by 20% since before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The looming increase in National Insurance contributions is set to add an additional £25,000 to annual costs and is a major concern for the park's owners.
A wildlife sanctuary involved in conservation work and campaigns, Paradise Park has about 1,330 birds and employs about 50 full time staff, rising to about 65 in peak summer months.
Mr Reynolds said he and his sister had been drawing on savings to keep the park running.
The threat of bird flu has added to the park's woes, forcing them to keep their flamingos undercover.
'Really difficult year'
Other large attractions in Cornwall such as Flambards and Dairyland have closed because of financial difficulties.
"It's really difficult for all the attractions and it should be a difficult year this year," said Mr Reynolds.
Ms Hales added: "We don't want to raise our prices too much and frighten people away, but it's an expensive place to run."
Mr Reynolds said: "We're under pressure, like all businesses but we love what we're doing here.
"What we really need is for people to come and see us. That's the main point for us."
'The right direction'
Gary Zammit from Screech Owl Sanctuary and Animal Park near Indian Queens said he had adopted new promotions such as free entry weekends in a bid to attract more visitors.
He said: "You just have to try and forge onwards and come up with ways of making your attraction more pleasing for people so we get more visitors."
"It's not easy, but we'll get there and we're relatively confident that it's all going in the right direction," he added.
'Survive this storm'
Trevor Broome, joint chairperson of Visit Cornwall and the general manager of Land's End Landmark said quality was key.
"You've got to look at the value of the attraction, what you can offer to your customers but most of all, to maintain that quality," he said.
"It is a difficult trading period but we are a very resilient industry, we are very entrepreneurial with what we do and I think we'll be able to continue and survive this storm."
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