Media Information
From its headquarters in Poole, Dorset, the Merlin Entertainments Group today operates an international network of attractions, among them many of the world's best known brand names...Madame Tussauds, The Dungeons, Alton Towers Resort, LEGOLAND, SEA LIFE, Gardaland, the London Eye and others.
The company's 50-plus attractions and four hotels anually welcome more than 30 million visitors in 12 differrent countries across three continents - Europe, North America and Asia - and employ more than 13,000 staff.
Everyone knows the world-famous Madame Tussaud's in London and has heard about its transformation to deliver a thrilling interactive experience as well as the traditonal close encounters with amazingly lifelike wax celebrities. There are now also Madame Tussauds in New York, Las Vegas, Amsterdam and Hong Kong.
The London Eye opened in March 2000 as part of the Millennium celebrations and is the world’s tallest observation wheel. It has won over 25 design, tourism and people’s choice awards. During its gradual 30-minute rotation, the 135-metre wheel gives passengers in the 32 high tech capsules a 25 mile view in every direction.
Alton Towers Resort is the UK’s leading theme park located within 500 acres of Staffordshire countryside. A second hotel, called Splash Landings, with a unique 40,000 sq ft water park opened in 2003 to enhance further the park’s appeal. It is the biggest employer in Staffordshire.
Merlin's famous SEA LIFE Centres - 23 of them in all, luring more than 4 million visitors every year - are each of them a study in subtlety.
Ignoring the headlong rush to build ever bigger, ever more expensive ... ever more impractical marine megaliths, Merlin concentrates on the detail; making sea creatures more at home; immersing visitors more fully in their watery world and delivering a seamless adventure that lingers in the memory, that informs and that above all inspires.
While others fly a conservation flag but do little to deliver ... Merlin's SEA LIFE staff are out there rescuing seals and other sea creatures; giving decent spacious homes at last to creatures too long confined in tanks too tiny; bringing rare turtles maimed by man halfway across the continent to give them the care they need, caring for others that wash up injured and dying on unfamiliar shores and later returning them to the wild ... and pressing home appeals for new protective laws in the chambers of the European Parliament itself!
Merlin has even created a Sanctuaries' brand, headed by the National Seal Sanctuary in the UK, dedicated to the business of rescue, rehabilitation and release of seals and other injured or displaced creatures. The Scottish Sea LIfe sanctuary at Oban and the Hunstanton Sea Life Sanctuary complete the current Sanctuaries portfolio.
The Surrey theme park Chessington World of Adventures & Zoo is positioned as a family focused attraction to complement another Merlin theme park THORPE PARK, and has just embarked on a ten year development programme to expand the rides and entertainment.
Italian theme park Gardaland is one of the most famous in the world with 40 rides, 10 major shows, a 1500 seat theatre and a 247 room 4-star hotel among its many assets, not forgetting three million visitors every year, while Germany's Heide Park, based in Soltau, occupies 494 acres of freehold land and includes a spectacular new ride, “Scream” the world’s tallest drop tower, opened in 2003. Family shows were added in 2004 and 2005.
Warwick Castle, undoubtedly Merlin's oldest attraction, is Britain's greatest medieval experience with uniquely themed attractions and entertainment including the UK's most haunting experience. The Castle plays host to a diverse range of events throughout the year, ranging from classical and pop concerts and jousting festivals to a magical and highly successful Christmas Frost Fair, complete with ice rink, in the Castle's central courtyard.
All of Merlin's theme park employees are dedicated to delivering memorable fun experiences to all their visitors and Merlin colleagues in its other core businesses the Dungeons - London, Hamburg, Amsterdam, Edinburgh and York - are no less passionate.
Dungeons bring the darkest chapters of history wailing, screaming ... and often laughing hysterically ... bang into the third millennium.
Death, disease, evil deeds and disaster are their theme ... but entertainment their objective and talented teams of actors and actresses bring fresh ingenuity every day to the challenge of breathing life into scenes lost in the mists of time.
An exciting, educational voyage of discovery for all ages, Earth Explorer – yet another Merlin attraction - involves you totally. You will see and feel how the four natural forces of earth, wind, fire and water have shaped our world, and how they continue to influence our daily lives. You can even 'journey into space' aboard brand new attraction Apollo 3000.
Merlin's most recent press releases, together with news of significant future events and developments, are featured on the next pages.
PR Contacts
Merlin Entertainments Group – Corporate and Group Issues.
Sally Ann Wilkinson or Penny Roberts - 0208 899 6110/07774 415372
saw@thefirmcomms.com or par@thefirmcomms.com
SEA LIFE & Sanctuaries
Mark Oakley - Telephone: 01202 666900 or mark.oakley@merlinentertainments.biz
Dungeons
Ellie Cowley - Telephone 01202 666900 or ellie.cowley@merlinentertainments.biz
Madame Tussauds (London)
Contact: Liz Edwards - 020 7487 0264 or liz.edwards@madame-tussauds.com
Madame Tussauds (Amsterdam)
Annemiek Dolfin - +31 205230625 or annemiek.dolfin@madametussauds.nl
Madame Tussauds (Las Vegas)
Rosita Chapman - 00 1 702 862 7813 or Rosita.Chapman@MadameTussaudsLV.com
Madame Tussauds (New York & Washington)
Stacy Shuster - 00 1 212 512 9602 or Stacy.Shuster@MadameTussaudsNY.com
Madame Tussauds (Hong Kong)
Kelly Mak - 00 852 2849 2788 or kelly.mak@madame-tussauds.com.hk
Madame Tussauds (Shanghai)
Jim Yang - +86 (21) 6358 7878 or jim.yang@madame-tussauds.com.cn
Madame Tussauds’ Head Of PR & External Relations
Nicky Hobbs - 020 7487 0200 or csc@madame-tussauds.com
Warwick Castle
Jo Biggs - 01926 406633 or Joanne.Biggs@warwick-castle.com
Alton Towers Resort
Rachael Lockitt - 01538 704 015 or Rachael.Lockitt@alton-towers.com
THORPE PARK
Gareth Arculus - 0870 999 0321 or gareth.arculus@thorpe-park.com
Chessington World Of Adventures & Zoo
Maria Hamilton - 01372 731 528 or maria.hamilton@chessington.co.uk
The London Eye
Contact: Press Office - 0870 220 2777 - pressoffice@londoneye.com
Heide Park
Call - 00 49 5191 9191
LEGOLAND Windsor
Alison Bledge - 01753 626125 or alison.bledge@legoland.co.uk
LEGOLAND Billund
Annemarie Kvist - 0045 7950 1801 or annemarie.kvist@legoland.dk
LEGOLAND California
Crustal Kranz - 00.1.760.918.5412 or Crystal.Kranz@LEGOLAND.com
LEGOLAND Gunzberg
Annette Uhlmann(0) 8221 700 223annette.uhlmann@legoland.de