Zoo's aquarium to close next year over safety

The zoo's aquarium houses many aquatic species, including piranhas

A zoo's aquarium will close next year after engineers raised safety fears.

Chester Zoo has told visitors its aquarium building, which opened in 1952, will shut after it was deemed to be unsafe beyond the end of 2025.

Structural engineers have stabilised the building and it is still safe to use until the end of next year, the zoo said.

Jamie Christon, Chester Zoo’s CEO, said the popular attraction was a "major part of its history" and it would get a "proper send off" before it shuts.

'Cast by hand'

He said the aquarium was "rich in stories" and it was "an iconic space".

The building opened more than 70 years ago, and was built by June, the daughter of the zoo’s founder George Mottershead, and her husband Fred.

The pair built the aquarium in their spare time while also helping run the zoo, Mr Christon said.

"In the two years it took to complete, June and Fred spent hours working on it, some by lamp light, and had to cast by hand the 130 pillars needed to support the structure," he said.

Chester Zoo said the aquarium would get "a proper send off"

He added: "Unfortunately, given the way it was lovingly constructed by hand back in the 1950s, the building is now approaching the end of its life.

"Building methods, technologies and safety requirements have, understandably, come on a long way in the near 75 years since it was built."

A team of external structural engineers, who have been helping Chester Zoo survey and monitor the building over several years have carried out work to stabilise the structure but have now confirmed that it will no longer be safe to welcome visitors, or for staff to work inside it, beyond the end of 2025.

The zoo said long-term plans for its fish and aquatic species programmes after the aquarium closes were being drawn up.