After 31 years of welcoming visitors through their doors, the Fort Victoria Marine Aquarium near Yarmouth have announced the closure of the attraction with immediate effect.
The management say a complicated mix of factors make the Aquarium no longer viable including inexorably rising costs and zoo licensing regulation, as well as no increase in visitor numbers.
With large aquariums now dotted around the country, the Aquarium say they have become conscious of an increasing general perception by visitors that it is smaller than expected and that visitors have nowadays already seen the creatures in the very large state of the art attractions.
The shock news comes just days after Seaview Wildlife Encounter closed their doors, who also stated zoo licencing regulations as a reason for closing the 44-year-old attraction.
In a statement issued this afternoon, Fort Victoria Marine Aquarium say it has “had its time”. They continued:
“We are very grateful for the help we have received from many people over the years. We have had dealings with many council officers (Fort Victoria is owned by the Council) who, contrary to general perception, have generally done their best to help. In particular we would like to thank all those in The Countryside Section, the Rangers and especially Bob Edney, who have been unfailingly helpful over the years.
“Without the help of Tony Flower (in “estates”) we would never have got the project off the ground. Several Councillors have helped, but without the backing of Ron Smith, Fort Victoria as an attraction would never have developed.
“Over the years our fishermen friends, in particular Ray and Mike Hayles, “Jigger ” Jacobs and Mark Andrew have been invaluable, as has the advice of our ever helpful and knowledgeable vet, Tim Watson.
Article continues below this advertisement “We would particularly like to thank our thousands of cheerful visitors whose repeat visits over the years have made our time at the Aquarium a happy one.
“With its natural attractions and the Planetarium, Model Railway and Sunken Secrets Exhibition, Fort Victoria will remain a great place to visit. We hope as many of you as possible will continue to support it”.
New homes will be found for the fish in other aquariums.
