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Merlin Entertainments: General Discussion

I suspect events will stay the same quality, maybe a touch better. Day to day ents will be gone and the number of events culled to save on the costs.
 
According to Sky News a private equity firm who own a major British pub chain are interested in buying some of the Sea Life Centres. I'm not really sure how a Private Equity firm with no experience in running attractions would be able to add value to a chain of aging aquariums, but if they do end up buying them, I hope it works out for everyone.
news.sky.com

Bonhams-owner Epiris eyes plunge into Merlin aquariums

The private equity backer of Bonhams and Amber Taverns is among the suitors preparing offers for a portfolio of Merlin Entertainments' Sea Life-branded aquariums, Sky News learns.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
 
Funcone said:
According to Sky News a private equity firm who own a major British pub chain are interested in buying some of the Sea Life Centres. I'm not really sure how a Private Equity firm with no experience in running attractions would be able to add value to a chain of aging aquariums, but if they do end up buying them, I hope it works out for everyone.
news.sky.com

Bonhams-owner Epiris eyes plunge into Merlin aquariums

The private equity backer of Bonhams and Amber Taverns is among the suitors preparing offers for a portfolio of Merlin Entertainments' Sea Life-branded aquariums, Sky News learns.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
Click to expand...


Fish&Chips on menu 🤝 Sealife Centres

Brand synergy. 👌
 
Funcone said:
According to Sky News a private equity firm who own a major British pub chain are interested in buying some of the Sea Life Centres. I'm not really sure how a Private Equity firm with no experience in running attractions would be able to add value to a chain of aging aquariums, but if they do end up buying them, I hope it works out for everyone.
news.sky.com

Bonhams-owner Epiris eyes plunge into Merlin aquariums

The private equity backer of Bonhams and Amber Taverns is among the suitors preparing offers for a portfolio of Merlin Entertainments' Sea Life-branded aquariums, Sky News learns.
news.sky.com news.sky.com
Click to expand...
I mean if pub chains are interested in buying the Sea Life centres, there’s the possibility that they could be converted into a Wetherspoons?..
 
Jb85 said:
Burger kitchen becomes a Spoons?
I quite like that idea
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Would be better than aramark food there curries are pretty good.

I would like more chain food to come into the park like back in the day was so much better. They want to outsource making food why not give it to well known brands
 
Hid said:
Would be better than aramark food there curries are pretty good.

I would like more chain food to come into the park like back in the day was so much better. They want to outsource making food why not give it to well known brands
Click to expand...

It’s ironic though

Used to have chains. People wanted independent and moaned at the quality and price

A classic case of be careful what you wish for
 
Jb85 said:
It’s ironic though

Used to have chains. People wanted independent and moaned at the quality and price

A classic case of be careful what you wish for
Click to expand...

I'm not sure the billion dollar multinational Aramark is the independent catering people desired tbf.
 
In regards to a pub firm wanting to buy the Sealife centers, it is not really unusual.

You have to remember there is a company who's primary business was and is producing educational publishing materials, such as books, test papers, revision material and that sort of thing. They were the company who owned and put Alton Towers on the map in the 1990's, funding all the major ride investments, such as Nemesis, Oblivion, The Haunted House, in what was arguably the parks most investment heavy decade. They also funded the Chessington investments and the rest of the Tussauds group as a whole.

It is not unusual for companies being interested in markets with seemingly no relevance to the business they are currently in. It is not always a good thing, but for the example above, it is not nessicerialy a bad thing either.
 
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If you do some digging they’re into all sorts, I’d say they don’t really have an overarching pattern or synergy, everything from crematoriums to ports.

They just want their margin. Low/medium risk.

Probably nominal ongoing capital investment required.

Take their 5% and sell it on in a few years.

It’s why the country’s in the state it’s in.
 
DistortAMG said:
In regards to a pub firm wanting to buy the Sealife centers, it is not really unusual.

You have to remember there is a company who's primary business was and is producing educational publishing materials, such as books, test papers, revision material etc. They were the company who owned and put Alton Towers on the map in the 1990's, funding all the major ride investments, such as Nemesis, Oblivion, The Haunted House, in what was arguably the parks most investment heavy decade. They also funded the Chessington investments and the rest of the Tussauds group as a whole.

It is not unusual for companies being interested in markets with seemingly no relevance to the business they are currently in. It is not always a good thing, but for the example above, it is not nessicerialy a bad thing either.
Click to expand...
I hear what you're saying. But in the 90s the UK theme park industry was growing rapidly, not just with Tussauds, but with Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Drayton Manor, Oakwood, Fantasy Island etc. Alton Towers was a big site with a lot of opportunity for development, including the potential for accommodation.

We don't know which Sealife Centres they're looking at buying, but most Sealife centres have limited opportunity for growth or development, and a lot of them probably have aging infrastructure. Merlin has said they're not looking to sell the ones in London, Birmingham or Manchester, so they're mostly going to be in seaside towns that have declining visitor numbers. Presumably there is some logic behind what they're doing and there may be other attractions or groups they're also looking at acquiring. But buying some old aquariums in seaside towns when you don't own any other attractions doesn't strike me as an obvious money making opportunity. Of course they've presumably seen the numbers and I haven't, so perhaps it's a more attractive venture than I realise.
 
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