# Credit crunch forces outrage!



## Alex88 (Oct 9, 2008)

Billericay aquatics near brentwood are chargeing £2 entery fee per person, and i have been there b4 and the selection isnt great and over priced, i was really shocked and saddened that a shop is chargeing, what you guys think of this??


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## LFBP-NEIL (Apr 23, 2005)

its something we have considered, not for entrance to the shop where the livefoods and dry goods are - but in our reptile room, as during the holidays you do tend to get a lot of people who think of it as a great fun day out thats free for their kids, and you have to put up with kids trashing your shop, we even had one lot that dumped their kids off in the morning and told them they would be back later on to get them!


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## 955i (Aug 17, 2007)

I remember (must be nearly 25-30 yrs ago now) the Serpentarium in Walsall (as was) used to charge admission to their reptile room, refunded if you purchased so it is nothing new really.


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## piercingqueen (Jul 28, 2009)

pink said:


> its something we have considered, not for entrance to the shop where the livefoods and dry goods are - but in our reptile room, as during the holidays you do tend to get a lot of people who think of it as a great fun day out thats free for their kids, and you have to put up with kids trashing your shop, we even had one lot that dumped their kids off in the morning and told them they would be back later on to get them!


 
:gasp::gasp::gasp:


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## freekygeeky (May 25, 2007)

i have to admit i went to koi they other day to buy some chicks... i went there and there must of been 100 odd kids there .. just looking... like a free zoo really isnt it?


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## AZUK (Jul 9, 2007)

I believe to charge an admittance fee to see any collection the proprietor would be required to have a valid zoo licence.


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## CBR1100XX (Feb 19, 2006)

Alex88 said:


> Billericay aquatics near brentwood are chargeing £2 entery fee per person, and i have been there b4 and the selection isnt great and over priced, i was really shocked and saddened that a shop is chargeing, what you guys think of this??


I would never pay to go into a reptile shop to have a look around no matter how good they think there collections are.


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## arthur cooke (Jan 22, 2008)

Not really on is it, if I purchase a reptile I usualy want to look several times. I want to see how they are kept over a period of time and how well the shop looks after them. I never make a purchase straight away and should some one want to charge me for looking, well, I'd go elsewhere.
This is just a money making scheme.
Unruly kids, throw them out, simple really.
cheers arthur


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## potter556 (Jul 11, 2008)

I agree with ^^^^^^^^^ I would never pay to get into a rep shop, even if they do refund it if you buy.
We like to observe before we purchase anything so lots of visits and lots of talking before money changes hands.


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## Zoo-Man (Apr 12, 2008)

Wouldn't charge people to get into my shop, but I agree that the school holidays are a pain when you get the families who are just after something to keep the kids amused for a bit. Some even expect you to allow their kids to hold everything!


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## MJ75 (Feb 5, 2009)

I doubt they'll still be doing it in a months time when customers start to shop elsewhere.


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## sean k (Dec 20, 2007)

*pet shops*

i wouldnt ever pay to go and look around a shop but i can understand how anoying it would be when there are like loads of kids asking to hold everything as when i was working in my local rep shop a few weeks ago i had loads of kids asking to hold reps. just put an over 18 sign up. lol but then you still get some over 18s wanting to hold everything. lol and asking silly questions. (well i keep a leo, and i have loads of experence with him ive been keeping him for 2 months, now i want a nile monitor....) u dreaming mate. lol lol


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## 9Red (May 30, 2008)

We used to keep the entrance to the reptile rooms chained off and ask people to make a small donation - just a couple of coppers - into the charity box for the local (charity registered) reptile rescue if they wanted just to take a look around, in which case we would happily stand with them and talk to them about any animals they asked about. No unaccompanied children under 16 were allowed in the animal rooms unless under the supervision of a member of staff and only in groups of 3 at a time - a rule we had to instigate after I found a gang of 13 year old lads had let themselves into the snake room and let our 12 foot burm out :censor:

I remember a couple of builders came in once and I did the old 'small donation, just a couple of coppers is fine' bit, then ended up giving them a short talk about burms as they were dead impressed with our big display female, and let them have a quick stroke (the burm, not me!). The fellas was so chuffed they gave me a £20 note for the charity box! :2thumb: 
In the whole time I worked there we only ever had one snotty remark about donating a few pennies and that was from a streak of grease in a suit swinging a set of porche keys around his fingers as he stormed out the door :roll:


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

Alex88 said:


> Billericay aquatics near brentwood are chargeing £2 entery fee per person, and i have been there b4 and the selection isnt great and over priced, i was really shocked and saddened that a shop is chargeing, what you guys think of this??


Now if they had somthing worth seeing like cold bloodeds reptile reserve fair enough but billericay rates as one of the worst shops in essex and possibly the south east.

The real outrage is how shops like this are still open.


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

955i said:


> I remember (must be nearly 25-30 yrs ago now) the Serpentarium in Walsall (as was) used to charge admission to their reptile room, refunded if you purchased so it is nothing new really.


The reptilearium witch latter became repider gold in crews hill also did the same, always spent money so was never a issue and the place was very clean and had stuff worth seeing.


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## ashbosh (Jun 23, 2007)

if i owned my own reptile shop, i'd never dream of charging anyone to get into it to have a look around. THAT'S CRAZY! I'd just charge them to get back out again. Good business idea eh? :2thumb:


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## monitor mad (Jun 16, 2008)

Agreed a charge on the door is a definate no go , although the under 16's unless supervised by an adult is a definate yes for me : victory:


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## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

AZUK said:


> I believe to charge an admittance fee to see any collection the proprietor would be required to have a valid zoo licence.


This is my understanding as well :Na_Na_Na_Na:


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## essexchondro (Apr 9, 2007)

> This is my understanding as well :Na_Na_Na_Na:


Who's to say they're charging potential customers an entry fee specifically to see a collection of animals, though? A shop owner could argue that the charge is simply for entry onto their (private) property, or even that the fee is to help cover the cost of keeping the animals, rather than being specifically to view a collection of animals. I'm sure there must be ways around the zoo licence issue.


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## White_raven666 (Mar 20, 2007)

> Now if they had somthing worth seeing like cold bloodeds reptile reserve fair enough but billericay rates as one of the worst shops in essex and possibly the south east.
> 
> The real outrage is how shops like this are still open.


Here here. Billericay aquatics are a disgrace. I hate Wiltons too, theyre just as bad but Billericay aquatics are THE worst repshop in Essex!!!! The state their animals in is terrible, the staffs attitude stinks and advice is poor at best.


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## SnakeBreeder (Mar 11, 2007)

essexchondro said:


> Who's to say they're charging potential customers an entry fee specifically to see a collection of animals, though? A shop owner could argue that the charge is simply for entry onto their (private) property, or even that the fee is to help cover the cost of keeping the animals, rather than being specifically to view a collection of animals. I'm sure there must be ways around the zoo licence issue.


You'd have to take that up with the local council. 

Often these entry charges are returned if someone acually buys an animal.


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## essexchondro (Apr 9, 2007)

> You'd have to take that up with the local council.
> 
> Often these entry charges are returned if someone acually buys an animal.


Surely the onus would be on the customer to prove that the proprietor was charging specifically for people to view his animals and that therefore he was breaking the rules by not having a zoo licence? Like I say, there are plenty of other reasons that the owner could give as to why the charge is in place which _might_ mean he wouldn't require a zoo licence. If these shops could be easily caught out by charging an entrance fee I'm sure they wouldn't do it.


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## Gemstone Dragons (Jul 29, 2009)

Alex88 said:


> Billericay aquatics near brentwood are chargeing £2 entery fee per person, and i have been there b4 and the selection isnt great and over priced, i was really shocked and saddened that a shop is chargeing, what you guys think of this??


I was there last saturday and wasnt charged entry :?
Only popped in for a look as was in the area and hadn't been there in ages, still didn't buy anything though lol.


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## andy007 (May 13, 2008)

I think if my local Rep shop started charging entry to the rep room, I'd get my wallet out, and say "see this dosh here?" "well you are not getting any of it":Na_Na_Na_Na::Na_Na_Na_Na: "I'll go spend it elsewhere"!!!

The thing is, the owners might be doing it to rake in money from tourists/families looking for cheap outing, but its just taking the P out of their regulars! I would prefer to drive further afield than pay to spend 10 minutes in a rep room.


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## monitor (Jun 9, 2009)

*charging entry*

I run a very busy reptile shop in Bournemouth. Not only are we swamped with kids during the school holidays but also a lot of tourists from the UK and abroad using the shop as free zoo. I have to employ extra staff to 'police' these visitors. We have also had dry goods and even animals stolen during very busy periods. The thought had crossed my mind to charge entry, refundable on purchase, but I realised that this would enfuriate new and regular customers. In order to dedicate time and attention to our true customers we have now placed a visible sign in the entrance that prohibits children under 16yrs of age entry without adult supervision. It has helped a bit. My sympathies to all shop owners with similar problems. To all my customers who are frustrated by the number of people in the shop at any one time; I hope you appreciate that we are aware of the problem but cannot do much about it. I have no doubts that many of these casual visitors may one day become dedicated herpetologists. At least......that's what I am hoping!


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## Siman (Apr 12, 2008)

I don't like the idea of having to charge people to come in to a shop. I mean you don't see any other shops charging because people come in to look and not buy. Its also possible some people may want to view the animal on different occasions just to check its overall health (for example, one may be asleep when you come in... If it always seems asleep everytime your in could be an issue).

Theres a shop near me that says "we are not a zoo and don't want to be treated as such. If you're not thinking about buying please don't come in" - Quite good but it does put people off lol


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## cornmorphs (Jan 28, 2005)

CBR1100XX said:


> I would never pay to go into a reptile shop to have a look around no matter how good they think there collections are.


 i have to agree mate.. much as i understand the guys comments here who do have shops, i'd never walk into a reptile shop again if i had to pay beforehand.


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## Metal_face (Oct 2, 2008)

so you have cold blooded's reptile reserve which not only has some of the most amazing animals in the country, is the best set out "reptile house" ive ever been in and doubles up as a rescue centre charging a very validated £2 for adults and £1 for children towards the running costs, then just down the road you have quite possibly the 2nd worst shop in essex (first being wiltons) charging people to have a look at what i could only decripe as a poor selection of animals?????

I think i know where i would rather go :whistling2:


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## Dave W (May 6, 2009)

*sounds to me like there jumping on the band wagon :whistling2: :whistling2: :whistling2: *


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## gtm (Jan 23, 2008)

cornmorphs said:


> i have to agree mate.. much as i understand the guys comments here who do have shops, i'd never walk into a reptile shop again if i had to pay beforehand.


I agree although I am sympathetic re the 'free zoo' problem. I'd suggest that shop owners ask the 'school kid brigade' to show evidence of financial resources before being allowed entry!


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## boidae (Jul 14, 2008)

its free zoo that should exploit word of mouth advertisement.
must be worse to charge in the credit crunch situation.

as long as customers have easy access to tills.


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## billericay aquatics (Sep 6, 2009)

*Billericay Aquatics*

I can not believe how many silly petty people there are that have nothing better to do then sit in front of the computer and type rubbish on these forums about other people, especially when they do not know the full facts. How easy is it to hind behind your computers where know body knows who you are or what experience you have of running a business and properly have not even got a job. I work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week and cant remember the last time I had a day off. If anybody has a problem with my shop and how I run things, why not come down and speak to me face to face instead of writing crap on the internet. 95% of our genuine customers say how pleased they are with our service and the way we keep the shop and our animals.

We decided to start charging a small £2 entrance fee for adults only and when they buy something they will get their two pound back even if they only spend 10p and when they spend £10 they get £3 back. This is more of a promotion then to try and rip people off. This hopefully will stop time wasters. Sometimes we are so busy with time wasters that just want to look at the animals and ask silly questions and stroke everything, while we are doing this we are neglecting our customers that are buying something and genuinely would like our help and advice. We do not charge our regular customer at all. Do you not think that our time, effort and the money that is spent looking after the animals is worth small £2 donation if you don’t buy anything, these people that don’t want to pay two pounds and do not seriously want to buy anything, what is the advantage of having them in our shop?, how does this pay our bills?. Our rent is £2800 a mouth and non domestic rate has been put up to just under £1500 a mouth and back dated to the 1st April 2008, our electric is £1000, and this is without wages; telephone etc. and you are arguing about a measly two pounds.

I am sure a lot of you are pleased to here as a result of these massive over heads and increase in rates we have decided to close the shop down, this has nothing to do with slanderous comments that people make on silly forums. We are having a closing down sale and everything must go, so if anybody would like to purchase anything then they are more then welcome, if people don’t want to purchase anything and just want to come down to condemn us then please do not waste your and our time.

I am sorry if I have offended or upset anybody in what I have said but you must understand that I have just written what I think and have the right to defend these outrageous comments made by some people, I would like to thank our genuine and loyal customers for their custom, loyalty and support. A lot of these customers have become our friends over the years and will be sadly missed.

I have said all I wished to say on this subject, if people wish to carry this on that is their prerogative, it might even give us a bit of free publicity, I have no intension in make any more comments or reply to this and getting involved in silly online arguments.


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