SEA LIFE BRAY aquarium is set to close down after 25 years in business, the owners announced today.

UK company Merlin Entertainments – which owns a large number of aquariums, theme parks and other attractions in the UK and around the world – said the aquarium would “permanently close its doors” at the end of this year.

The popular attraction is located in the seaside town of Bray, and houses a large variety of sea creatures, including sharks, ray and octopuses and fish.

Announcing the surprise move today, a Sea Life spokesperson said:

“After careful consideration, we have taken the difficult decision to close this attraction.

“The priority now is to support our team members with advice on career opportunities at other attractions across the Group, and find suitable homes for the animals we currently house, utilising the rest of our SEA LIFE global and European network.

As the world’s leading aquarium chain, the SEA LIFE brand maintains a strong presence across the UK and Europe as part of a network of more than 50 aquariums across the globe.

The closure will come as a further blow to the tourism sector in Ireland, following a bruising number of years as a result of the Covid-19 and cost-of-living crises. The aquarium was forced to close its doors during the pandemic, reopening in May 2021.