A man has complained after visiting a zoo that there were "no big animals" despite there being 300 species including gorillas.
Simon Ramsbottom wrote a review on TripAdvisor after visiting Bristol Zoo calling the animal enclosures "very tired looking", adding that many of them were empty, according to the Bristol Post.
He also complained about the food available, saying his cheese sandwich - which cost "just under £5" - was stale.
Mr Ramsbottom's review said: "Very Poor Zoo. On arrival you are met on the car park with a man with his card machine to park for £4.50!
"The enclosures are very tired looking and there are many empty ones too.
"The COVID one way system that has been put in place is misleading and the map provided on arrival provides virtually zero information (a black and white print out)."
Mr Ramsbottom continued: "The restaurant was open so could not comment but we used an outdoor food kiosk which was the only other option.
"Just under £5 for a cheese sandwich which I gave to the birds as it was stale bread. There are no big animals only two lions near the entrance.
"When my wife voiced her opinion to a lady near the exit she thanked us for our feedback and agreed it was poor and maybe people shouldn’t be charged to go in anymore as it was near closing down for a housing development!
"My little boy loves zoos and he said he wanted to go home, say no more!"
Bristol Zoo had mixed reviews online, with complaints about the animals available and the impact of Covid measures, while others defended the zoo, saying the negative reviews were "harsh"..
The zoo's management said the zoo was being revamped and that it was also trying to comply with Covid restrictions. However it said this was stated on its website so visitors know what to expect.
James Kitto, head of commercial operations, who is responsible for the visitor experience, said: "We are sorry to hear that one of our visitors was disappointed with their recent visit to Bristol Zoo Gardens.
"Our website is clear about what visitors may expect during their trip, in terms of the animals and also the restrictions that are in place due to COVID."
He said the zoo has worked to comply with Covid guidance while keeping impact on visitors low. he said visitors who have problems should alert staff so they can try to resolve them."
Mr Kitto added that the zoo had "more than 300 species of animals" on-site, "from gorillas, lions, meerkats and lemurs, to penguins, seals, flamingos and giant tortoises".
He also explained that many animals in Bristol Zoo will be relocated to its Wild Place Project site to create a world class zoo for the future.
Bristol Zoo Gardens will continue to welcome visitors into 2022, and Wild Place Project will remain open throughout the development phase until it becomes the new Bristol Zoo in 2024.
Bristol Zoo Gardens and Wild Place Project are both run by Bristol Zoological Society which is a conservation and education charity and relies on public donations.
The attraction has an overall rating of four out of five stars on TripAdvisor and is ranked 40th out of 213 things to do in Bristol.
One praised the range of animals and said she liked the "historic" buildings, while another wrote: "The enclosures are well laid out and appear to provide for the animals. The grounds are well maintained and beautifully kept."
