BOSSES of Dalton's zoo have revealed they are set to meet the executive director of Barrow Borough Council following a row over "unsafe" walkways. 

The attraction made a shock announcement earlier this month that it would close in January, following a decision by Barrow Borough Council to close the zoo’s public walkways due to health and safety reasons.

The council has explained that their licensing regulatory committee ruled that all wooden public walkways at the Dalton attraction must be shut with immediate effect due to concerns over safety.

The zoo was given 28 days to comply.

In response, the animal park issued a statement last week saying they would shut on January 9. 


RETIREMENT: Zoo founder David Gill has announced plans to retire. 

Owner 'to retire'

Owner and founder David Gill, who insists he is no longer in charge and that he has allowed the zoo's management team to run the attraction, has since revealed he intended to retire at Christmas. 


LEADER: Barrow Borough Council's executive director  Phil Huck. 

Council meeting

However, last night, the zoo's management posted on Facebook saying they had been invited to a meeting with Barrow Borough Council's executive director, Phil Huck. 

The meeting, according to the post on Facebook, is expected to take place next week and the zoo intends to update visitors on the outcome. 

Facebook post

The zoo's post on Facebook read: "Update: The Chief Executive of Barrow Borough council has written to us to invite us to a meeting hopefully next week. We have accepted and hope to have our concerns listened to and solutions found. We wish to update our visitors on the situation as it develops. We now intend to close to close the Zoo to the public from Monday 11th January 2016."