Beryl's Day Out
Written by Kate McNab & Paul Crossthwaite

It’s 1962 here at Bristol Zoo. Beryl is having a well-deserved day out…

Away from her hectic salon in Weston-Super-Mare and not to mention those incessant blue rinses, Beryl wanders happily through the gorgeous gardens and enclosures. She daydreams about the excitement of trips here in her childhood when her whole family came on day trips. Nothing much has changed really. She recalls of the excitement of seeing those familiar animals right up close. Chatting to the staff, and the animals, heading for a Cona coffee in the restaurant, Beryl muses how perfectly calm and serene it is on this warm autumnal day.

Meanwhile… behind the scenes, all sort of mayhem is breaking out. The queue is getting longer and longer at the entrance. Who is that woman? It’s mucking out time in the elephant enclosure and someone’s kicked the bucket. A camel called Betty has gone missing. Or is she a dromedary? How do you pick a poisonous snake up? Will the grumpy aye-aye attack Barry again? How on earth will he mend the gorilla’s cage door? Who is Johnny Morris anyway?

Heading for the exit after the last fish has been thrown to the seals at 4.15, Beryl thinks she might just make it down to Broadmead in time to walk round that wonderful new Fairfax House. A perfect day out.