Closure to hit wildlife festival

The closure of Bristol's Wildwalk and IMAX cinema has led Wildscreen, the conservation charity to describe the decision as "sad and ironic".

The charity's chief executive said the news had come just when it had been recognised that global action was needed to protect the environment.

"The closure will also have an impact on the Wildscreen Festival which has previously used the IMAX," she added.

Both venues will shut in April with the loss of 45 jobs.

Global action

Wildscreen was co-founded by the late Chris Parsons who envisioned the Wildwalk-at-Bristol attraction.

"(Wildwalk) harnesses all that we've learned about zoos, all that we've learned about wildlife film-making in television, plus a lot of very inspired ideas," said Sir David Attenborough, when the attraction opened.

Wildscreen chief executive Harriet Nimmo said: "It is sad and ironic that the decision comes in the week the world finally acknowledged global action is needed to safeguard our natural environment."

The Wildscreen Festival was set up by Chris Parsons along with the ARKive project to be part of an international visitor centre in Bristol explaining and celebrating the diversity of life on Earth.

ARKive is the on-line Noah's Ark, launched in Bristol in 2003 by Sir David Attenborough.