Southport aviary closure news came 'out of the blue', says keeper

An aviary that has been going for nearly ninety years is set to close.

Sefton Council said the attraction in the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport will shut in March 2027.

Connor Atherton, the small animal and avian keeper at the council-run site, said news of the closure had come "out of the blue".

The council said every effort would be made to re-home the 170 birds and small animals at the aviary, and that putting them down had been "completely ruled out".

Atherton said the council had told him it cost about £60,000 a year to fund the aviary, and that it had taken the "difficult decision" after reviewing animal welfare guidance, ageing infrastructure and budget pressures.

But he said the sum was "a drop in the ocean" for a free attraction which served as a rescue centre and a place for children and older people.

"It's my life. It has been for the last three years," he said.

He added that many of the birds had previously been kept as pets and could not be released into the wild.

"I will continue battling to ensure the aviary gets the support it deserves," he said.

Atherton accepted the site was outdated and said he had "never said it was perfect", but added that it deserved to be improved "piece by piece".

A public meeting is due to take place at the cafe in Botanic Gardens, Churchtown, at 13:30 BST on Friday.

The aviary currently remains open as normal.

The BBC has asked Sefton Council about the claimed £60,000-a-year funding gap.

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