Walk through the gates of the old Winkhill site today and you’ll see something totally different from the bird-heavy sanctuary of the nineties. It’s a bit of a local legend now. Most people still call it Blackbrook, even if the signs say something else. Honestly, the story of Blackbrook Zoological Park Staffordshire is kinda heartbreaking but also a weirdly successful comeback tale.
It started with Diana Holloway. She was a powerhouse in the bird world. Back in 1991, she and her son Mark Rubery decided to turn this slice of the Staffordshire Moorlands into a massive haven for exotic feathered things. They weren't just playing around; at its height, the place had over 200 species of birds. Pelicans, cranes, storks—you name it, they probably had a breeding program for it.
The Rise of a Bird Oasis
The park wasn't like a typical zoo. It felt more like a wild, slightly overgrown garden where you happened to bump into a cassowary. It was famous for having one of the best collections of waterfowl in the country. Diana had already run the Hillside Bird Oasis in Cheshire, so she knew her stuff.
By 2006, things were looking big. They added a new café, a gift shop, and a fancy entrance. Then Diana passed away. That’s when the vibe started to shift. Her son Mark took the reins and tried to push it further. He spent £500,000 on a penguin exhibit in 2008. Half a million quid. That’s a lot of fish for a family-run park that didn’t get a penny in government grants.
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Why Blackbrook Zoological Park Staffordshire Actually Closed
So, what went wrong? Money, basically. It’s the same old story for independent zoos. You’re at the mercy of the British weather and rising costs. By 2014, the park was struggling. Deep in debt, it fell into administration. For a while, it looked like the end. The cages were getting quiet, and the local community in Leek and Ashbourne was genuinely gutted.
I remember people being worried about where the animals would go. You can’t just rehome a rare crane overnight. The park officially shut its doors in late 2014. It sat there, empty and a bit haunting, for months.
The Peak Wildlife Park Rebrand
But here’s the twist. It didn’t stay dead. In 2015, Jake Veasey and Colin MacDougall stepped in. They bought the site, but they didn’t just reopen the old bird park. They completely flipped the script. They rebranded it as Peak Wildlife Park.
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They moved away from being "just a bird place." Today, if you go there, you’re seeing polar bears. Actual polar bears in Staffordshire. It sounds insane, but they’ve got a massive habitat for them now. They’ve also got:
- Lemurs that jump right over your feet.
- Giant otters.
- Meerkats (obviously, every zoo needs them).
- Wallabies you can walk amongst.
The new owners realized that to survive, they needed "pull" animals. Birds are great, but polar bears sell tickets. It's a bit of a bittersweet evolution for the purists who loved the old avian focus, but it saved the land from being turned into another housing estate or a conifer plantation.
What’s Left of the Old Blackbrook?
If you look closely, you can still see the bones of the original park. Some of the old lake structures and the general layout of the walk-through areas remain. But the "Blackbrook" name is officially a ghost.
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Interestingly, the area around the park is also home to the Black Brook Nature Reserve, run by the Staffordshire Wildlife Trust. People get them confused all the time. The nature reserve is about 300 acres of moorland and restoration work—totally separate from the zoo, but just as vital for the local ecosystem.
Is it Worth a Visit Now?
If you’re looking for the old Blackbrook Zoological Park Staffordshire experience, you won’t find it. That era ended a decade ago. But the site itself is thriving.
Peak Wildlife Park has become one of the best "interactive" zoos in the UK. They focus heavily on the "walk-through" concept. No bars, just you and a lemur having a moment. It’s a much more modern way of doing things.
Actionable Advice for Your Trip
- Don't search for Blackbrook on your SatNav. You’ll end up at a closed gate or a nature reserve five miles away. Look for "Peak Wildlife Park" in Winkhill.
- Wear boots. The Staffordshire Moorlands are notoriously damp. Even on a sunny day, the ground at the site can be "boggy" to say the least.
- Book the Polar Bear talk. It’s the main event now. They moved three bears—Nobby, Hope, and Archie—from Sweden and the North of England, and seeing them in the Staffordshire hills is surreal.
- Check the Wildlife Trust site. If you want the "old" wild feel of the area without the entrance fee, the nearby Black Brook nature reserve is great for a hike, but don't expect to see a penguin there.
The transition from a struggling bird sanctuary to a high-profile wildlife park is a masterclass in business survival. It’s a shame the original vision of the Holloway family couldn’t sustain itself, but the fact that the land is still dedicated to conservation is a win. Next time you're driving down the A523, stop in. It’s a different world from the one Diana started in '91, but it's still one of the most interesting spots in the Midlands.