As much as I'd love to write a fantastic review of...

As much as I'd love to write a fantastic review of our local zoological Gardens I cannot. I visited in October 2018, my previous visit being over 10 years ago. I can honestly say that there seems to be only one positive change.... The kids play park, which is absolutely amazing! Admittedly it's getting colder now and as you'd expect, most of the animals are inside, however some animals where nowhere to be seen, or even gone due to some kind of breeding programmes at other zoos. The buildings in the zoo, other than the entrance building, are desperately in need of a bit of TLC outside. Indoors they're just OK, with the exception of the Lion's Den cafe which is very clean and tidy. The cafe at the summit of the park was closed which is likely due to the time of year. I feel this should be open if the zoo is open, even just for beverages, especially considering the effort required to get up there on foot! The Floral Hall, a historic building, in the middle of the park lies almost in ruins. It is an absolute travesty that this iconic building has been left to get into this state. Northern Ireland could really benefit from a small & personal concert venue such as this. Reasonable selection of animals, giraffes & elephants being the most spectacular. I blame Belfast City Council for all this Zoo's problems. Money needs invested here, and soon! My recommendation would be to venture to Dublin zoo, a night and day difference between these two attractions!