Bristol Zoo puts memorabilia up for public auction

One of the world's oldest zoos is giving people the chance to own a piece of its history by putting items from its former premises up for auction.

Bristol Zoo Gardens closed the gates of the Clifton site in September 2022 after 186 years to move to a new location near junction 17 of the M5.

Posters, furniture and even a bust of the zoo's famous gorilla Alfred are among the 300 items up for sale, with funds going towards the new site and conservation projects.

"It will not only go to help build the new zoo but we also have projects across the world where we work saving animals in the wild," said Hannah Windross, director at Bristol Zoological Society.

• Take a tour around the auction room on BBC Sounds

Ms Windross said the zoo transported as much as it could from the old site to the new Bristol Zoo Project but it had not been possible to bring everything.

"We spent so long cataloguing everything and making sure we preserved the most important bits and now we've created an opportunity for everyone to own a piece of our history," she said.

Some of the items up for auction have not been seen for decades

Two online auctions will go live on Friday and are being run by Bristol-based Auctioneum.

Andrew Stowe, who works for the company, said there is nostalgia attached to many of the items.

"There are things that are worth money because of what they are and there are others that we know are going to be really popular because people remember sitting on the benches, buying something from the kiosks or eating in the restaurant," he said.

"There are some amazing pieces here that have incredible stories attached to them, be it the actual story or the connection people had with it."

Many will recognise some of the items from visiting the zoo over the years

The auction comes as the zoo faces opposition to its plans to build 196 homes on the Clifton site.

Earlier this week, campaign group Save Bristol Gardens Alliance won a legal challenge against the plans which will now be considered at a judicial review.

Bristol Zoological Society said it was disappointed in the decision which would "delay development that will bring much-needed housing to Bristol" and make the old site's gardens accessible for free for the first time.

It added delaying the sale of the site would slow down the development of the Bristol Zoo Project.

Plans to develop the Clifton site are currently on hold