Client: Twycross Zoo

Location: Little Orton, Leicestershire, UK

Project Value: £100K – £250K (Strategic Mid-Tier Seasonal Development)

Timeline: 6 Months (From initial land planning through crop cultivation monitoring to live Halloween launch)

 

Project Overview

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Westminster Project Services Ltd provided comprehensive, end-to-end program leadership and central coordination for the design and construction of Twycross Zoo's new Room on the Broom Corn Maze. Tasked with transforming a 2,683 sqm agricultural footprint into a highly immersive, temporary autumn visitor attraction, we acted as the central hub managing intellectual property (IP) compliance, creative design agencies, agricultural specialists, and health and safety teams. Our primary objective was to deliver a logistically seamless, low-build-cost seasonal installation that expanded the zoo's existing Gruffalo Discovery Land footprint while offering an engaging, highly interactive experience for young families.

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Scope of Work

 

Phase 1: Concept Development & Spatial Planning

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We collaborated closely with creative agencies (T3 Creative Agency) to translate the initial "Corn Maze Concept" into actionable, practical construction layouts. Our team oversaw the validation of the 398 linear meters of pathways and zoned a masterplan containing 11 distinct story milestones, photo opportunities, and localised clearings. This process guaranteed optimised crowd flow, prevented bottlenecking at the central hub, and aligned the spatial geometry perfectly with the physical storytelling narrative.

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Phase 2: IP Integration & Stakeholder Management

 

Managing a beloved, highly trusted commercial brand like Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler’s Room on the Broom required strict compliance frameworks. Westminster Project Services Ltd served as the direct interface between the asset owners, the zoo’s internal marketing departments, and manufacturing contractors. We ensured that all physical character installations—including the scattered storytelling check-points, completion rewards, and the final "Meet the Witch" stage—fully adhered to brand guidelines and met premium experiential expectations.

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Phase 3: Infrastructure, Cultivation Oversight & Safety

 

Unlike permanent builds, this project merged structural engineering with agricultural timelines. We managed the oversight of specialised field-cutting contractors who precision-mapped the complex maze layout into the standing crop. Simultaneously, our teams coordinated the installation of crucial site safety and utility systems, including:

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• Temporary perimeter security fencing and crowd-control barriers.

• Overhead utility protection zones (addressing live telegraph lines crossing the site).

• Weather-resilient pedestrian paths across mud and agricultural terrain.

• Strategic spatial planning for the "Photo Op" exits and standard accessibility compliance.

 

Phase 4: Project Delivery & Live Operations Launch

 

We drove the operational handover, ensuring the maze was delivered on time and within budget ahead of the crucial October Half-Term / Halloween peak season. Our role wrapped up with a comprehensive operational walkthrough, verifying that cross-departmental teams—from retail (pop-badge rewards distribution) to visitor services (timed storytelling stages)—were aligned for safe, highly efficient daily execution.

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Results & Impact

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• Commercial Growth & Land Efficiency: By transforming underutilised land into a premium seasonal asset with a naturally low infrastructure build cost, we provided the client with an exceptionally high ROI attraction format. The maze successfully extended visitor dwell times and drove secondary spend via upsell trail sheets, themed retail pop-badges, and seasonal food and beverage touchpoints.

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• Exemplary Regulatory & Safety Standards: Navigating the risks of an outdoor, raw agricultural site, Westminster Project Services Ltd achieved a zero-incident build and live launch. Potential hazards—such as heavy autumn mud, dead-end crowd traps, and existing overhead infrastructure—were completely mitigated through rigorous spatial design, continuous risk profiling, and clear structural exit zoning.

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• Operational Excellence & Repeatable Format: The project successfully launched to excellent visitor satisfaction scores. By establishing a highly structured, plug-and-play operational blueprint, Westminster Project Services Ltd handed over a seamless workflow that enables Twycross Zoo to easily replicate this low-cost, high-impact seasonal activation with new literary IP themes in future years.