Zip World’s tourist attraction plans in full swing
A concept for a cabled ride across Penrhyn Quarry called the Swing, which Zip World claims to be the “largest of this type of attraction in the world”, has been floated by the adventure-tourism provider.
Gwynedd Council received the application from agent Cadnant Planning, which puts forward plans for a platform, a landing area, and two anchorage points at the swing’s top and bottom at the quarry, where the adventure firm has operated other attractions since March 2013.
Visitors would use a cart to reach the higher platform, before donning protective equipment and being secured into the swing, which sits 90 metres from the quarry’s edge.
The thrill-seekers would then fall approximately 95 metres, and swing back and forth around a pivot point for about two minutes before being safely returned to the lower anchorage point.
The swing would arc 63 metres from the pivot point.
Plans indicate that the ride would take visitors on a south-to-north fly-over of the quarry.
Zip World expects a maximum of 12 operations per hour and claims the attraction would provide 20 full-time equivalent jobs.
A 2023 North Wales Tourism report suggests that Zip World has directly contributed £276m to the Welsh economy.
According to an economic impact assessment complied by consultant Quod, nearly 80% of travellers to North Wales visit the region to go to Zip World.
The company hopes the Swing can reverse a noted decline in visitors over the past year, which the company says is likely due to post-COVID stabilisation of demand.
The report claims the Swing would commit Zip World to a £1.9m investment in the region while supporting indirect jobs across the North Wales tourism and hospitality sectors.
Contributors to the project include Donald Insall Associates, Curtins, Hepworth Acoustics, Gritten Ecology, and Holmes Solutions.
To view the application, use the reference C24/0937/16/LL in Gwynedd Council’s planning portal.
Zip World has also made a recent foray into the Lake District.
The company received permission in April for the construction of underground zip lines through Elterwater Quarry.
Burlington Stone and Zip World joined up to create a visitor experience for the quarry.
Didn’t expect to see this when I entered ‘Swinging’ into Google.
By Allergic to Squirrels
“…nearly 80% of travellers to North Wales visit the region to go to Zip World” said all tourists in Bleanau. Forget the mountaineering, steam trains, watersports, villages and beaches. Let’s drive to North Wales to bounce and zip. I think not.
By Tom Jones