Like the main attraction at his theme park, Rick Turner says it has been a "rollercoaster year" for the sector. "Costs have increased massively," the owner of The Big Sheep in north Devon said, reflecting on the state of the region's visitor attractions. Mr Turner, who is also the chairman of Devon's Top Attractions, said "there will be more closures" unless firms adapted to the reality of rising costs combined with challenging visitor numbers. It has been a bleak year for the region's visitor attractions after 75 people lost their jobs at The Eden Project in Cornwall as part of cost-cutting measures, while questions remain over the futures of Paignton and Newquay zoos, which are both up for sale buy their joint owner. Earlier this month, Axe Valley Wildlife Park announced it was closing after 17 years - blaming "difficult" times for businesses.
