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The business
Name: Tristram Mayhew - Go Ape
Location: Thetford
Sector: Leisure
Turnover: £10.6m
Staff: 360
Website: www.goape.co.uk
Location: Thetford
Sector: Leisure
Turnover: £10.6m
Staff: 360
Website: www.goape.co.uk
Tristram Mayhew - Go Ape
Living life adventurously is the slogan of treetop adventure course Go Ape. And the company is sticking by its philosophy, having taken its first steps towards becoming a global operation.
The Thetford-based firm runs high-wire obstacle courses at more than 25 locations across the UK, and opened its first in the US in May, near Washington DC.
The company is also set to launch a course in Australia next year, and plans to have 25 operating overseas within three years.
Visitor numbers increased 17pc last year to a record 534,000, with turnover up 25pc at £10.6m, while profits rose at an even steeper 28pc. The number of staff has also risen by about 90 to 360.
Founded in 2002, the company has attracted millions of customers keen to test their bravery and balancing skills, and enjoy some of the country’s longest zip-wires.
Tristram Mayhew, who founded the company with his wife, Rebecca, said: “Go Ape is monkeying around more than ever despite the economic gloom. “Four tree-mendous new courses opened across Britain, plus our first in the USA.
“We have also branched out into Go Trax, our exciting new Ultimate Segway experience in Thetford forest, which we plan to roll out nationally. “You’d be wrong to think we just have fun in the trees - we also sent dozens of our team off on our own caving, paragliding, canoeing, climbing and tall ship sailing expeditions.
“It beats working for a living.”
Living life adventurously is the slogan of treetop adventure course Go Ape. And the company is sticking by its philosophy, having taken its first steps towards becoming a global operation.
The Thetford-based firm runs high-wire obstacle courses at more than 25 locations across the UK, and opened its first in the US in May, near Washington DC.
The company is also set to launch a course in Australia next year, and plans to have 25 operating overseas within three years.
Visitor numbers increased 17pc last year to a record 534,000, with turnover up 25pc at £10.6m, while profits rose at an even steeper 28pc. The number of staff has also risen by about 90 to 360.
Founded in 2002, the company has attracted millions of customers keen to test their bravery and balancing skills, and enjoy some of the country’s longest zip-wires.
Tristram Mayhew, who founded the company with his wife, Rebecca, said: “Go Ape is monkeying around more than ever despite the economic gloom. “Four tree-mendous new courses opened across Britain, plus our first in the USA.
“We have also branched out into Go Trax, our exciting new Ultimate Segway experience in Thetford forest, which we plan to roll out nationally. “You’d be wrong to think we just have fun in the trees - we also sent dozens of our team off on our own caving, paragliding, canoeing, climbing and tall ship sailing expeditions.
“It beats working for a living.”