Chessington World of Adventures to open as normal after 'security incident'

Chessington World of Adventures is scheduled to reopen on Saturday 21 November after a reported threat prompted the resort to close as a precaution, its operator Merlin Entertainments said.

The Metropolitan Police said it was aware of a threat made against a theme park in Chessington on the morning of Sunday 8 November. The force said it had assessed the matter and identified no security issues, adding that it was believed to be an isolated incident with no wider risk to the public.

Merlin said it had acted in close coordination with police and immediately put its safety procedures into effect. The resort was closed while the incident was addressed. The company said the incident had been resolved by Monday 9 November, when the hotel was open again.

The reopening date applies to the resort’s planned operations; the park’s opening timetable is limited at this time of year. The company said the safety and wellbeing of guests and staff remained its highest priority, and thanked visitors for their patience and its teams for their response.

The closure followed an emergency response at the site on Sunday. Police said their assessment found no wider public risk.

Chessington World of Adventures includes a theme park and zoo. It has previously had to close unexpectedly: in August, a burst water main left the attraction and much of the surrounding area without water. Visitors were sent home while the issue was fixed and invited to return on another day.

The latest closure was a precautionary response to the security incident, rather than a reported water-supply problem. Merlin’s statement said the hotel was open from Monday, while the resort itself would reopen as planned on 21 November.

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