Tourist favourite is reborn

One of the most popular tourist attractions in the Bristol area is re-opening after over four years.

Old Down Country Park welcomed more than a million visitors in the time it was run by Robert and Alison Bernays.

After they left, it became the private home of musician Mike Oldfield, of Tubular Bells fame.

He sold up to move overseas and now the new owner has re-stocked with animals such as llamas, reindeer, wallabies and rare-breed livestock in time for families to make the most of the Easter weekend.

Old Down, near Thornbury, will open its gates for the first time tomorrow and remain open every day right through until September.

As well as the animals – which also include Shetland ponies, Vietnamese pot-bellied pigs, geese, turkeys, cattle and peacocks –there is also an adventure playground for youngsters, woodland walks, gardens, a fishing lake, walled Victorian garden and croquet lawn.

Work is also continuing to open a restaurant and farm shop selling organic produce by the summer.

The park is owned by local entrepreneur Arron Banks, of the insurance and financial services business Brightside Group.

He bought Old Down in early 2008 and for the last eight months has been working to get it ready in time for the new tourist season.

An army of workers was brought in to prepare the park and 20 new staff have already been recruited to run the ticket office, help out in the grounds, care for the animals and provide refreshments.

Lee Gane, 37, the estate manager, said he took up his new post after running a landscape gardening business.

He said: "We've got a lot of events laid on for the Easter weekend, including an Easter egg trail, and when produce is in season, we will have a pick-your-own operation. We also hope to breed from the animals here and we've already had some chicks hatched in time for Easter."

Old Down was run by Mr and Mrs Bernays for 25 years.

They started out with a pick-your-own business, later developing a forest challenge, farmyard, restaurant and shop.