London Aquarium sold to Merlin

Located in County Hall on the South Bank, next door to the London Eye, the London Aquarium currently welcomes more than 750,000 visitors a year.

Merlin Entertainments acquired the attraction from Shirayama Shokusan, the Japanese company that owns County Hall, the South Bank site of the old Greater London Council, which is now a four-star hotel. Following the sale, the attraction will now undergo a £5 million revamp.

Merlin adds the London Aquarium to a portfolio that includes the London Eye, Madame Tussauds and the London Dungeon. Event planners are now able to combine a tour to the London Aquarium with a trip on the Eye or a visit to Merlin’s other London attractions.

Merlin is also the owner of Sea Life, the largest aquarium brand in the world. Sea Life welcomes six million visitors a year through its 28 aquarium and marine sanctuary attractions.

Glenn Earlam, Managing Director of Merlin Entertainments’ Midway brands, which include Sea Life, said: “London Aquarium is a wonderful site, big enough to be awe inspiring but also very accessible for visitors. There is no one better qualified than Merlin to operate marine attractions and when we add the Sea Life magic, we believe it will once again quickly become a ‘must see’ attraction for both Londoners and those visiting the UK capital.”