Battle · 8 companies

Zoos

Conservation charities with a ticket office. Who's thriving?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) leads on 2 of the five measures that matter most: turnover, pre-tax profit, profit margin, growth and net assets. London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) is the biggest by turnover at £93m, against £63m at Chester Zoo. Chester Zoo keeps the most of every £100 it takes, £3.51 as pre-tax profit.

The year ends are up to 12 months apart, so this compares each company's most recent filing rather than the same twelve months.

Spark Intel Research Desk·Last updated 28 September 2026·Sources: Companies House filed accounts; published annual reports for London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) and Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)

Accounts compared: London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) to Apr 2025 · Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) to Dec 2025 · Chester Zoo to Dec 2024 · Port Lympne and Howletts to Dec 2024 · Twycross Zoo to Dec 2024 · Marwell Zoo to Dec 2025 · Bristol Zoo Project to Dec 2024 · Banham Zoo to Dec 2024

Biggest by turnover

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

£93m

Highest profit margin

Chester Zoo

3.5%

Fastest-growing turnover

Twycross Zoo

+28.7%

The Numbers

#	Company	Turnover	Change	Pre-tax profit	Margin	Employees	Pay per head	Turnover per head	Net assets	Bank and cash	Accounts to	Basis
1	London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)Zoological Society of London (London Zoo, Whipsnade Zoo)	£93m	+11.3%	£1.8m	1.9%	957	£41,000	£97,000	£95m	£25m	Apr 2025	n/d
2	Chester ZooNorth of England Zoological Society (The)	£63m	+10.0%	£2m	3.5%	664	£39,000	£95,000	£66m	£5m	Dec 2024	n/d
3	Port Lympne and HowlettsThe Howletts Wild Animal Trust	£27m	+11.0%	£19k	0.1%	409	£33,000	£66,000	-£0.5m	£9k	Dec 2024	Group
4	Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park)	£26m	+6.5%	-£0.3m	-1.1%	336	£31,000	£78,000	£34m	£5m	Dec 2025	n/d
5	Twycross ZooTwycross Global Conservation Society	£15m	+28.7%	-£1.4m	-8.9%	170	£26,000	£91,000	£20m	£1.5m	Dec 2024	Group
6	Marwell ZooMarwell Wildlife	£12m	+0.6%	-£1.5m	-11.8%	186	£35,000	£67,000	£16m	£3m	Dec 2025	Group
7	Bristol Zoo ProjectBristol Clifton and West of England Zoological Society Limited	£8m	-0.3%	-£2m	-29.6%	139	£36,000	£55,000	£44m	£1.3m	Dec 2024	Group
8	Banham ZooThe Zoological Society of East Anglia Limited	£6m	-14.1%	-£0.5m	-8.1%	172	£14,000	£36,000	£2m	£52k	Dec 2024	Group

Ranked by turnover. Click any column to sort. The leader on each measure is highlighted. Movements are against each company's own prior year. Pre-tax profit is filed except where marked (est.).

Category winners

Biggest by turnover

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

£93m

Most pre-tax profit

Chester Zoo

£2m

Highest profit margin

Chester Zoo

3.5%

Fastest-growing turnover

Twycross Zoo

+28.7%

Biggest employer

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

957 staff

Highest pay per head

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

£41,000

Most turnover per head

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

£97,000

Largest net assets

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

£95m

Most cash

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

£25m

The Takeaway

Chester Zoo converts the most of its turnover. Of every £100, £3.51 reaches pre-tax profit, against a loss of £29.65 at Bristol Zoo Project.
London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) is the largest on the top line, £93m of turnover, 1.5x Chester Zoo's £63m.
Twycross Zoo is growing fastest, turnover +28.7% on its own prior year. Bristol Zoo Project and Banham Zoo went backwards.
London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) is the biggest employer with 957 people; London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) pays the most per head, an average staff cost of about £41,000.
London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) has the largest balance sheet, net assets of £95m.

Who keeps the most of every £100 of sales?

Chester Zoo keeps the most: £3.51 of every £100 of turnover becomes pre-tax profit. Bristol Zoo Project does worst, losing £29.65.

Every profit figure here is the one the company filed.

The chart splits each company's turnover into £100: what goes on people, on interest and on everything else, and what is left as profit.

Out of every £100 of turnover

Payroll (staff costs)Other running costsPre-tax profitLoss: the costs beyond £100

Each bar is £100 of that company's own turnover, so companies of any size compare on one scale; the figures are pounds out of each £100, not millions. Companies run from the best margin to the worst. Payroll is staff costs, other running costs are everything else, and profit is pre-tax profit, filed or estimated as marked in the table. A loss is not an extra cost: it is the part of the costs that runs past the £100 line, marked with a red bracket. Hover over any segment for its figure.

Who is the biggest, and does the comparison hold?

By turnover the order is London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) (£93m), Chester Zoo (£63m), Port Lympne and Howletts (£27m), Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) (£26m), Twycross Zoo (£15m), Marwell Zoo (£12m), Bristol Zoo Project (£8m), Banham Zoo (£6m).

By headcount, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) leads with 957 employees.

The comparison holds with the dates stated plainly: London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) to Apr 2025, Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) to Dec 2025, Chester Zoo to Dec 2024, Port Lympne and Howletts to Dec 2024, Twycross Zoo to Dec 2024, Marwell Zoo to Dec 2025, Bristol Zoo Project to Dec 2024, Banham Zoo to Dec 2024. All are on the same filing basis.

Turnover on the latest filing

Who is growing fastest?

Twycross Zoo grew fastest, turnover +28.7% on its own prior year, ahead of London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) (+11.3%), Port Lympne and Howletts (+11.0%), Chester Zoo (+10.0%), Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) (+6.5%), Marwell Zoo (+0.6%), Bristol Zoo Project (-0.3%), Banham Zoo (-14.1%).

Turnover change on each company's own prior year

Who employs the most, who pays the most, and who brings in the most per head?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) employs the most, 957 people, against 664 at Chester Zoo.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) has the highest average staff cost, about £41,000 a head; Banham Zoo the lowest, about £14,000.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) brings in the most turnover per employee, about £97,000, against £36,000 at Banham Zoo. It says as much about the business model as the workforce: a marketplace or a wholesaler needs far fewer people per pound than a restaurant or a gym.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)

957

employees, about £41,000 pay a head, £97,000 turnover a head

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)

336

employees, about £31,000 pay a head, £78,000 turnover a head

Chester Zoo

664

employees, about £39,000 pay a head, £95,000 turnover a head, +0.5% on the year

Port Lympne and Howletts

409

employees, about £33,000 pay a head, £66,000 turnover a head, +2.3% on the year

Twycross Zoo

170

employees, about £26,000 pay a head, £91,000 turnover a head, -7.1% on the year

Marwell Zoo

186

employees, about £35,000 pay a head, £67,000 turnover a head, +1.6% on the year

Bristol Zoo Project

139

employees, about £36,000 pay a head, £55,000 turnover a head, +6.9% on the year

Banham Zoo

172

employees, about £14,000 pay a head, £36,000 turnover a head, +47.0% on the year

Who owns each one?

Ownership as recorded on the Companies House register of people with significant control, in the bands the register uses.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) · annual report

A Royal Charter charity

Charity incorporated under Royal Charter (registered charity 208728; Royal Charter RC000749). It has no shareholders and publishes its accounts in an annual report, not at Companies House.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) · annual report

A Royal Charter charity

Royal Charter society (instituted 1913) and Scottish registered charity SC004064; not registered at Companies House. It has no shareholders and publishes its accounts in an annual report, not at Companies House.

North of England Zoological Society (The) · 00287902

No controller recorded

The register shows no person with significant control. 2 outstanding charges on the register.

Who owns Chester Zoo →

The Howletts Wild Animal Trust · 04711904

Held by Mr John Damian Androcles Aspinall

An individual recorded as a person with significant control. 2 outstanding charges on the register.

Who owns Port Lympne and Howletts →

Twycross Global Conservation Society · 01060956

No controller recorded

The register shows no person with significant control. 6 outstanding charges on the register.

Who owns Twycross Zoo →

Marwell Wildlife · 01355272

No controller recorded

The register shows no person with significant control. 2 outstanding charges on the register.

Who owns Marwell Zoo →

Bristol Clifton and West of England Zoological Society Limited · 05154176

No controller recorded

The register shows no person with significant control. 7 outstanding charges on the register.

Who owns Bristol Zoo Project →

The Zoological Society of East Anglia Limited · 08250951

No controller recorded

The register shows no person with significant control. 3 outstanding charges on the register.

Who owns Banham Zoo →

What does the full ledger show?

Measure	London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL)	Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS)	Chester Zoo	Port Lympne and Howletts	Twycross Zoo	Marwell Zoo	Bristol Zoo Project	Banham Zoo
Registered name	Zoological Society of London (London Zoo, Whipsnade Zoo)	Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (Edinburgh Zoo, Highland Wildlife Park)	NORTH OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY (THE)	THE HOWLETTS WILD ANIMAL TRUST	TWYCROSS GLOBAL CONSERVATION SOCIETY	MARWELL WILDLIFE	BRISTOL CLIFTON AND WEST OF ENGLAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY LIMITED	THE ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF EAST ANGLIA LIMITED
Company number	Not a company: annual report	Not a company: annual report	00287902	04711904	01060956	01355272	05154176	08250951
Incorporated	n/d	n/d	1934	2003	1972	1978	2004	2012
Accounts filed	19 February 2026	30 April 2026	3 July 2025	7 October 2025	4 October 2025	2 July 2026	23 September 2025	30 September 2025
Turnover, prior year	£83m	£25m	£57m	£24m	£12m	£12m	£8m	£7m
Pre-tax profit, prior year	n/d	n/d	-£0.3m	-£1.0m	-£4m	-£0.4m	-£3m	-£1.2m
Staff costs	£39m	£10m	£26m	£13m	£4m	£6m	£5m	£2m
Payroll share of turnover	42.6%	39.3%	41.4%	49.7%	28.2%	51.5%	65.8%	38.5%
Employees, prior year	n/d	n/d	661	400	183	183	130	117
Dividends paid	n/d	n/d	n/d	n/d	n/d	n/d	n/d	n/d
Charges outstanding	undefined	undefined	2	2	6	2	7	3

A figure the filing does not disclose is shown as n/d; a zero in a filing is treated as not disclosed. Rounding: below £0.1m in thousands, £0.1m to £2m to one decimal place, above that to the nearest million.

Zoos: common questions

Who is the biggest of London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS), Chester Zoo, Port Lympne and Howletts, Twycross Zoo, Marwell Zoo, Bristol Zoo Project or Banham Zoo?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m in the year to April 2025.

Which makes the most profit?

Chester Zoo: £2m pre-tax in the year to December 2024.

Which employs the most people?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with 957 employees in its latest accounts.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS): which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £26m at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) on their latest filings. On margin, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Chester Zoo: which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £63m at Chester Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Port Lympne and Howletts: which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £27m at Port Lympne and Howletts on their latest filings. On margin, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Twycross Zoo: which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £15m at Twycross Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Marwell Zoo: which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £12m at Marwell Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Bristol Zoo Project: which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £8m at Bristol Zoo Project on their latest filings. On margin, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL), with turnover of £93m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, London Zoo and Whipsnade (ZSL) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) or Chester Zoo: which is bigger?

Chester Zoo, with turnover of £63m against £26m at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) or Port Lympne and Howletts: which is bigger?

Port Lympne and Howletts, with turnover of £27m against £26m at Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) on their latest filings. On margin, Port Lympne and Howletts keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) or Twycross Zoo: which is bigger?

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS), with turnover of £26m against £15m at Twycross Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) or Marwell Zoo: which is bigger?

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS), with turnover of £26m against £12m at Marwell Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) or Bristol Zoo Project: which is bigger?

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS), with turnover of £26m against £8m at Bristol Zoo Project on their latest filings. On margin, Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS), with turnover of £26m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park (RZSS) keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Chester Zoo or Port Lympne and Howletts: which is bigger?

Chester Zoo, with turnover of £63m against £27m at Port Lympne and Howletts on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Chester Zoo or Twycross Zoo: which is bigger?

Chester Zoo, with turnover of £63m against £15m at Twycross Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Chester Zoo or Marwell Zoo: which is bigger?

Chester Zoo, with turnover of £63m against £12m at Marwell Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Chester Zoo or Bristol Zoo Project: which is bigger?

Chester Zoo, with turnover of £63m against £8m at Bristol Zoo Project on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Chester Zoo or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

Chester Zoo, with turnover of £63m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Chester Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Port Lympne and Howletts or Twycross Zoo: which is bigger?

Port Lympne and Howletts, with turnover of £27m against £15m at Twycross Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Port Lympne and Howletts keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Port Lympne and Howletts or Marwell Zoo: which is bigger?

Port Lympne and Howletts, with turnover of £27m against £12m at Marwell Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Port Lympne and Howletts keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Port Lympne and Howletts or Bristol Zoo Project: which is bigger?

Port Lympne and Howletts, with turnover of £27m against £8m at Bristol Zoo Project on their latest filings. On margin, Port Lympne and Howletts keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Port Lympne and Howletts or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

Port Lympne and Howletts, with turnover of £27m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Port Lympne and Howletts keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Twycross Zoo or Marwell Zoo: which is bigger?

Twycross Zoo, with turnover of £15m against £12m at Marwell Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Twycross Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Twycross Zoo or Bristol Zoo Project: which is bigger?

Twycross Zoo, with turnover of £15m against £8m at Bristol Zoo Project on their latest filings. On margin, Twycross Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Twycross Zoo or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

Twycross Zoo, with turnover of £15m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Banham Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Marwell Zoo or Bristol Zoo Project: which is bigger?

Marwell Zoo, with turnover of £12m against £8m at Bristol Zoo Project on their latest filings. On margin, Marwell Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Marwell Zoo or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

Marwell Zoo, with turnover of £12m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Banham Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Bristol Zoo Project or Banham Zoo: which is bigger?

Bristol Zoo Project, with turnover of £8m against £6m at Banham Zoo on their latest filings. On margin, Banham Zoo keeps more of each £100 as pre-tax profit.

Where do these figures come from?

Each company's latest accounts filed at Companies House. Each links to its full Spark Intel profile, which names the filing it comes from.