Dalton wild animal park enjoys busiest year (From The Westmorland Gazette)
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Dalton wild animal park enjoys busiest year
5:50pm Tuesday 10th January 2012 in Business
INCREASING numbers of animal lovers have given a Cumbrian zoo its busiest year.
Visitor numbers at South Lakes Animal Park, Dalton, swelled by 31,000 last year, to more than 300,000.
Owner David Gill saw turnover rise by 11 per cent, gift shop sales increase by 12 per cent and restaurant sales grow by nine per cent.
As a result, the park’s team has grown by four more staff and directors have spent more than £200,000 on new developments and maintenance work.
Last September, Barrow Borough Council blocked plans for a £4m expansion to treble the size of the park.
Directors hope the plans will finally get the go-ahead when they are reviewed by a government inspectorate, which is expected to announce its decision next month.
