London Butterfly House
The London Butterfly House was a visitor attraction in Brentford, Middlesex, England where the public could view butterflies, birds, reptiles, amphibians, insects, and arachnids.
Date opened | 1981 |
---|---|
Date closed | 28 October 2007 |
Location | Brentford, Middlesex, England |
Coordinates | 51°28′42.88″N 0°19′1.26″W |
Set in Syon Park, the grounds of Syon House, the facility consisted of three purpose built greenhouses situated overlooking a lake. The facility contained hundreds of the world's most exotic species of butterfly, along with descriptions and illustrations. It also contained a small aviary.
The London Butterfly House closed on 28 October 2007, due to the Duke of Northumberland's plans to build a hotel complex on the land.[1][2] The greenhouses were demolished in November/December 2007 and the 5 star hotel built in their place. The London Syon Park (part of the Hilton Worldwide Waldorf Astoria Hotels and Resorts) opened in March 2011 with conference facilities, restaurants, and a spa.[3]
There was a proposal to build a replacement Butterfly House in Gunnersbury Park,[4][5] but this was rejected.[2]
The owners of the London Butterfly House acquired The Butterfly and Wildlife Park in Long Sutton, Lincolnshire, to which the creatures and many of the plants have been re-located. Unfortunately this closed in 2012 due to rising costs and reduced visitor numbers.[6]
See also
Notes
- Malvern, Jack (2005-01-05). "Duke's hotel is a threat to butterflies' historic home". timesonline.co.uk. The Times. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- Brown, Ed; McGrath, Martin; Davis, Matt. "So Crosse As Butterflies Head North". journalism-courses.com. News Associates. Archived from the original on 2009-01-02. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- "Hilton London Syon Park". milesfaster.co.uk. Milesfaster. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
- "Fears for butterfly house future". bbc.co.uk. BBC. 2006-03-29. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- "Gunnersbury Park plan for Butterfly House". brentfordtw8.com. BrentfordTW8.com. 2005-01-24. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
- "London Butterfly House". zoos-uk.com. Aardstorm. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2008-07-18.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to London Butterfly House. |