Bristol Zoo Gardens in Clifton closed permanently on 3 September 2022, after 186 years, because Bristol Zoological Society decided the 12-acre site was too small for a modern conservation zoo. The animals moved to the Society's other site at Blackhorse Hill, now called Bristol Zoo Project, and the old Clifton site is being sold off for housing and a new free public garden.
If you've turned up in Clifton looking for the zoo you remember, or you're planning a visit and keep seeing two different names online, here's what actually happened and where to go instead.
Why did Bristol Zoo Gardens close?
Bristol Zoological Society, the charity behind the zoo, said the historic 12-acre Clifton site was no longer fit for purpose as a modern, conservation-focused zoo. Its Board of Trustees voted unanimously to consolidate everything onto its other, much larger site at Blackhorse Hill on the edge of the city, which offers 136 acres compared to Clifton's 12. The stated reasoning was animal welfare: bigger, more natural habitats for the animals rather than the smaller Victorian-era enclosures at Clifton.
The Society says it went through a lengthy review process, including independent professional advice, before reaching the decision, and that no viable alternative plan for keeping a zoo running at Clifton has been put forward since.
Where did the animals go?
They moved to Bristol Zoo Project, built around open habitats like Bear Wood and a Lemur Walkthrough rather than the traditional enclosures of the old site. It's a different postcode entirely, out near the M5 on the edge of the city, and it operates as a separate, newly built attraction rather than an extension of the old zoo.
What's happening to the old Clifton site now?
The former Bristol Zoo Gardens site was granted planning permission by Bristol City Council in April 2023. The plans include:
- 196 new homes, around 20% of them affordable, built mainly around the perimeter of the site.
- Free public access to the gardens for the first time in 186 years, once redevelopment is complete.
- The Grade II listed entrance lodge retained by Bristol Zoological Society as a café, exhibition space and community rooms, plus a permanent base for the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project.
- A nature-inspired playground and small theatre, facilities the area doesn't currently have.
The Society is selling the site to help fund the new zoo at Blackhorse Hill. The former West Car Park has already been sold, and a sale of the wider site is expected in the near future. In the meantime, the old gardens are still used for teaching and by the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project, but they are not open to casual visitors and there are no plans to reopen it as a zoo in any form.
So where do I actually go to see the animals?
Bristol Zoo Project, at Blackhorse Hill. It's worth checking current ticket prices before you go, since they're seasonal, but online booking is the only way to guarantee entry.
The short version
| Bristol Zoo Gardens (Clifton) | Bristol Zoo Project (Blackhorse Hill) | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | Closed since September 2022 | Open |
| Size | 12 acres | 136 acres |
| Future | Homes plus a free public garden | The working zoo, going forward |
| Can you visit? | Not currently, not as a zoo | Yes, with a booked ticket |
If you're planning a visit to Bristol with children and want a full run-down of what's on offer beyond the zoo, our guide to Bristol with kids and our Clifton guide cover what's still there in the neighbourhood the old zoo left behind. If you're building a longer visit around it, see our weekend in Bristol itinerary too.
FAQs
Is Bristol Zoo Gardens still open? No. It closed permanently on 3 September 2022 after 186 years at the Clifton site, and there are no plans to reopen it as a zoo.
Can I still visit the old Bristol Zoo Gardens site in Clifton? Not currently as a general visitor attraction. The site has planning permission for 196 homes and a free public garden, but it isn't open to casual visitors while redevelopment is arranged, beyond its use for teaching and the Avon Gorge & Downs Wildlife Project.
Where did the Bristol Zoo animals go? To Bristol Zoo Project, the Society's other, larger site at Blackhorse Hill on the edge of the city, which is now the only zoo Bristol Zoological Society operates.
Why did Bristol Zoo Gardens close? Bristol Zoological Society decided the 12-acre Clifton site was too small to meet modern standards for animal welfare and conservation, and chose to consolidate everything at its 136-acre Blackhorse Hill site instead.
Is Bristol Zoo Project the same organisation as Bristol Zoo Gardens? Yes. Both are run by Bristol Zoological Society. Bristol Zoo Gardens was the old Clifton site; Bristol Zoo Project is the current, and now only, zoo the Society operates.
Will the old Bristol Zoo Gardens site become a park? Eventually, yes in part. The approved plans include free daytime public access to the gardens alongside the new homes, plus a café, playground and theatre in and around the retained entrance lodge, though there's no fixed date for when that opens to the public.