At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
small that you can hardly read  them) state that the offers are only
available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.

So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
something like that) so it was slightly less.

But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
what a ticket into London exactly means.

C.J.Brady

On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:30 -0700 (PDT), CJB 
wrote:

>At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
>Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
>leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
>Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
>extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
>found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
>small that you can hardly read  them) state that the offers are only
>available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
>afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
>mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
>
>So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
>clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
>not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
>something like that) so it was slightly less.
>
>But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
>throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
>who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
>Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
>have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
>do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
>what a ticket into London exactly means.
>
>C.J.Brady

When you say you visited 'on a First Great Western 2 for 1 deal' did
you travel on First Great Western?  If so, presumably you had a
ticket.  Was this not the ticket they wanted to see rather than an
Oyster card?

I can see their logic with an Oyster card.  Unless they have a card
reader in the zoo they would have no way of knowing whether you had
used it to make a journey that day or not.  I think the basis of the
offer is to 'reward' those usiing the train not those who happen to
have an Oyster card in their wallet.

On Jun 30, 10:17 am, Scott  wrote:
> On Mon, 30 Jun 2008 02:00:30 -0700 (PDT), CJB 
> wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
> >At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
> >Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
> >leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
> >Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
> >extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
> >found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
> >small that you can hardly read  them) state that the offers are only
> >available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
> >afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
> >mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
>
> >So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
> >clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
> >not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
> >something like that) so it was slightly less.
>
> >But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
> >throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
> >who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
> >Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
> >have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
> >do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
> >what a ticket into London exactly means.
>
> >C.J.Brady
>
> When you say you visited 'on a First Great Western 2 for 1 deal' did
> you travel on First Great Western?  If so, presumably you had a
> ticket.  Was this not the ticket they wanted to see rather than an
> Oyster card?
>
> I can see their logic with an Oyster card.  Unless they have a card
> reader in the zoo they would have no way of knowing whether you had
> used it to make a journey that day or not.  I think the basis of the
> offer is to 'reward' those usiing the train not those who happen to
> have an Oyster card in their wallet.- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

My friend had a paper ticket from Newbury to Hayes & Harlington,
extended by a 1-day all zone Travel Card. I had a London Freedom
Pass.

ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London
to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the
exact destination London station required. Actually ZSL hadn't a clue
what was valid or not, all the women at the ticket desk knew was that
Oyster Cards and Freedom Passes were not valid. So we both had to pay
the full admission. CJB.

On 30 Jun, 10:00, CJB  wrote:
> At the weekend we decided to visit London Zoo (branded ZSL) on a First
> Great Western 2for1 deal. (South West Trains offer the same). The
> leaflets for these deals are available at numerous stations within the
> Greater London boundary, and also presumably beyond. They are
> extensive and cover 100s of 'attractions' in London. However - as we
> found to our cost - the conditions in the small print on the back (so
> small that you can hardly read  them) state that the offers are only
> available for 'paper' tickets to London (obviously from further
> afield), also they are NOT available for Oyster Tickets. And no
> mention is made of Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
>
> So when we got to ZSL our 2for1 coupons was declined and we got
> clobbered for the full adult price of £17 each. Actually we elected
> not to pay the 'voluntary' donation to help to preserve tigers (or
> something like that) so it was slightly less.
>
> But it is now obvious to us that the 2for1 deals - widely advertised
> throughout London - actually EXCLUDES most Londoners especially those
> who have to use Oyster Cards, Travel Cards or Freedom Passes.
> Apparently even local London paper tickets are excluded because these
> have to be from outside London into London - although the conditions
> do not state how far outside London you need to be, nor do they define
> what a ticket into London exactly means.
>
> C.J.Brady

I suggest that anyone going to the zoo ( or anywhere else) prints this
out

http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx

 Summary

Oyster not valid
Any type of London paper Travelcard Valid
Freedom pass Valid

however Oyster is valid for a load of 2 for 1s
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/microsites/oysteroffers/attractions/


HTH Phil

In message 
, CJB 
 writes

>ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London 
>to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the 
>exact destination London station required.

The terms and conditions state that all you need are two paper tickets 
with the National Rail symbol printed on them, valid for the date of 
admission to the attraction, which it appears you had.

There is no requirement to travel to any particular station in London 
or, indeed, for you to travel to London at all. You merely have to have 
used National Rail with a paper ticket on that date.

Write to London Zoo and ask for a refund. If they decline, complain to 
customer services at FGW.
-- 
Paul Terry

CJB wrote:
> ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London
> to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the
> exact destination London station required. Actually ZSL hadn't a clue
> what was valid or not, all the women at the ticket desk knew was that
> Oyster Cards and Freedom Passes were not valid. So we both had to pay
> the full admission. CJB.

Since they do not define "London" the customer may interpret it to
mean "City of London", so any ticket from outside zone 1 to zone 1 ought to
be sufficient (or a station inside the City of London if they really want
to be pedantic).

In message , at 11:19:04 on Mon, 
30 Jun 2008, Paul Terry  remarked:
>>ZSL stated that they needed TWO *paper* tickets from 'outside' London 
>>to London - although they couldn't define the term 'outside' nor the 
>>exact destination London station required.
>
>The terms and conditions state that all you need are two paper tickets 
>with the National Rail symbol printed on them, valid for the date of 
>admission to the attraction, which it appears you had.

Two such paper tickets issued to the same traveller seems to me to be 
outside the spirit of the rules.

-- 
Roland Perry

In message 
, at 
03:17:40 on Mon, 30 Jun 2008, nimbusjunk@yahoo.co.uk remarked:
>http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx
>
> Summary
>
>Oyster not valid
>Any type of London paper Travelcard Valid
>Freedom pass Valid

I don't think that website says that Freedom Passes are valid.
-- 
Roland Perry

In message , Roland Perry

>Two such paper tickets issued to the same traveller seems to me to be 
>outside the spirit of the rules.

Given that we are discussing a "two for the price of one" offer, I 
should think that is unlikely to arise. But if it did, how would the 
attraction concerned know who each ticket was issued to?

-- 
Paul Terry

In message  of Mon, 30 Jun 2008 12:25:16 
in uk.transport.london, Roland Perry  writes
>In message 
>, at 
>03:17:40 on Mon, 30 Jun 2008, nimbusjunk@yahoo.co.uk remarked:
>>http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/faq.aspx
>>
>> Summary
>>
>>Oyster not valid
>>Any type of London paper Travelcard Valid
>>Freedom pass Valid
>
>I don't think that website says that Freedom Passes are valid.

I quote: "However you are able to use Oyster cards that are issued in 
conjunction with Freedom passes."
-- 
Walter Briscoe

In message , at 13:58:10 on Mon, 
30 Jun 2008, Paul Terry  remarked:
>>Two such paper tickets issued to the same traveller seems to me to be 
>>outside the spirit of the rules.
>
>Given that we are discussing a "two for the price of one" offer, I 
>should think that is unlikely to arise.

It arises in the OP's case.

>But if it did, how would the attraction concerned know who each ticket 
>was issued to?

If they are offered *more* than just the two tickets (which is once 
again the OP's situation), they may smell a rat.
-- 
Roland Perry

In message , at 15:42:36 on Mon, 30 
Jun 2008, Walter Briscoe  remarked:
>>I don't think that website says that Freedom Passes are valid.
>
>I quote: "However you are able to use Oyster cards that are issued in 
>conjunction with Freedom passes."

That doesn't say you can use Freedom passes in isolation.

Just some subset of Oyster cards that are "issued in conjunction with a 
Freedom pass".
-- 
Roland Perry

On 30 Jun, 20:26, Roland Perry  wrote:
> In message , at 15:42:36 on Mon, 30
> Jun 2008, Walter Briscoe  remarked:
>
> >>I don't think that website says that Freedom Passes are valid.
>
> >I quote: "However you are able to use Oyster cards that are issued in
> >conjunction with Freedom passes."
>
> That doesn't say you can use Freedom passes in isolation.
>
> Just some subset of Oyster cards that are "issued in conjunction with a
> Freedom pass".
> --
> Roland Perry

My mum has a freedom pass which looks just like an Oyster but I
suppose that you are correct in that one can travel in london with
ones issued outside london.

 I do think that the Zoo have behaved in a particularly stupid manner
since this promotion has been going on for several years and this
problem is simply down to incompetant managent ( I assume the OP would
have called a manager to check on someone who states undefined and
ambiguous rules. I certainly would)

Eurostar once tried this on when I had some Daily Telegraph vouchers
for free travel when it first opened. The paper said you could take
the voucher to Waterloo and make your booking there. the cretin behind
the counter told me it was a mistake and I needed to send away by
post  (Critically I had anticipated this as the vouchers themselves
indeed did say you should send away so I took the original paper with
me).
He soon rolled over with a threat of manager being called.



I stand corrected

On 30 Jun, 20:25, Roland Perry  wrote:
> In message , at 13:58:10 on Mon,
> 30 Jun 2008, Paul Terry  remarked:

> >But if it did, how would the attraction concerned know who each ticket
> >was issued to?
>
> If they are offered *more* than just the two tickets (which is once
> again the OP's situation), they may smell a rat.
> --

Or then again, perhaps this particular zoo is as disinterested in rats
as it is in oysters...

Steve Adams

Steve wrote:
> On 30 Jun, 20:25, Roland Perry  wrote:
>> In message , at 13:58:10 on
>> Mon, 30 Jun 2008, Paul Terry  remarked:
>
>>> But if it did, how would the attraction concerned know who each
>>> ticket was issued to?
>>
>> If they are offered *more* than just the two tickets (which is once
>> again the OP's situation), they may smell a rat.
>
> Or then again, perhaps this particular zoo is as disinterested in rats
> as it is in oysters...

..Big Groan..         <That was as bad as they get mate!>