The controversial basement home of SEA LIFE London’s gentoo penguins is set to close in 2028, after a years-long campaign over the welfare of the birds.
Merlin Entertainments, which runs the aquarium, has confirmed the 14 gentoo penguins kept in the indoor London exhibit will move to a newly expanded enclosure at the National Sea Life Centre in Birmingham, where they will be merged with the 17 penguins already there into a single, larger colony.
Work on the new habitat is due to start in 2027, subject to planning approval, with the birds expected to move during 2028. Merlin says the timing will be guided entirely by the needs of the animals.
A new home with natural light
The new enclosure, designed with input from a wild penguin expert, will offer land and water areas roughly double the size of the existing London habitat, a longer pool and an expanded “deep end” with more than three times the current water space across both sites.
It will be spread across multiple levels, benefit from natural light and include seasonal variations above and below the water, reflecting aspects of natural weather conditions to support the birds’ natural behaviours.
A Merlin spokesperson said the facility would provide “a dynamic and complex environment with seasonal variations both above and below the water for the animals”, and confirmed the vacated London space would be repurposed to support the company’s conservation priorities, including steps towards a research centre focused on gentoo conservation in the wild.
Campaigners welcome the move
The decision follows sustained pressure from the Born Free Foundation, Freedom for Animals, PETA, the Daily Express, 75 MPs and tens of thousands of members of the public, who argued the penguins were being kept in a basement without fresh air or natural light.
Talks between campaigners, experts and Merlin began in December last year after the MPs joined calls for action, and the two sides have been meeting regularly since. Earlier this year Merlin confirmed it would combine the London and Birmingham colonies, and has now also committed to ending the breeding of gentoo penguins at all its UK sites.
Dr Mark Jones, head of policy at the Born Free Foundation, said: “From the much-criticised basement environment in London to a significantly expanded and environmentally enriched enclosure in Birmingham — but nearly a year of careful and thoughtful discussion has paid off. Common sense and compassion have prevailed.”
Laura Walton, co-director of Freedom for Animals, said: “Crucially, Merlin’s landmark commitment to end breeding means no further generations of gentoo penguins will be born into captivity at its facilities.”
Will Travers, executive president of the Born Free Foundation, said the decision meant the current birds would be the last generation of gentoos housed at Merlin’s UK facilities.
What happens next
Merlin will shortly submit formal plans to the local authority. Subject to approval, construction begins in 2027 and the colony moves in 2028, when the gentoo habitat at SEA LIFE London will close for good.
The closure is another big change for the capital’s family attractions. Families planning visits can check London’s two-week October half-term dates for 2026, while another much-loved venue, Beckenham’s Odeon cinema, is fighting to stay open with a community fundraiser.
