0:00:02 > 0:00:04Former circus impresario, Gerry Cottle,
0:00:04 > 0:00:08is one of the best-known names in the big-top business.
0:00:08 > 0:00:11I never wanted to be the world's greatest trapeze artist
0:00:11 > 0:00:13or anything else, or the wild animal trainer
0:00:13 > 0:00:15I just wanted to be circus boss.
0:00:15 > 0:00:1712 years ago, he and business partner Brian Austen
0:00:17 > 0:00:21were running successful circuses across Britain.
0:00:21 > 0:00:25But then they took on of the biggest gambles of their careers...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27importing a new exotic show.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34It can't go wrong. We actually can't afford for it to go wrong.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Nice to see you.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38The cameras followed Cottle as he brought
0:00:38 > 0:00:41the Chinese State Circus to Britain.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44Over the course of a gruelling season,
0:00:44 > 0:00:47he discovered the truth about his new investment
0:00:47 > 0:00:50during a bumpy tour of the country.
0:00:52 > 0:00:57A decade on, the travelling showman has finally put down roots
0:00:57 > 0:01:00at the legendary cave attraction of Wookey Hole.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05I honestly believe, not just showing off, that these are the most
0:01:05 > 0:01:06beautiful caves in the UK.
0:01:10 > 0:01:12Now, the former circus boss is back
0:01:12 > 0:01:17and he's working harder than ever to pull in the crowds.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21The big challenges are, you know, people don't come.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23It's a hard business, we've got to take money all the time.
0:01:43 > 0:01:47Wookey Hole, one of Britain's oldest tourist attractions.
0:01:47 > 0:01:51In the heart of Somerset, the prehistoric limestone caves
0:01:51 > 0:01:56offered safeguard to humans and wild animals for thousands of years.
0:01:56 > 0:02:00Today, the site also includes a dinosaur park,
0:02:00 > 0:02:04a crazy golf course and even its own hotel.
0:02:04 > 0:02:08Owner Gerry Cottle thinks it's an unique attraction.
0:02:08 > 0:02:10I saw the potential of Wookey Hole
0:02:10 > 0:02:13being here for 100 years but had no...
0:02:13 > 0:02:16not a lot of awareness.
0:02:16 > 0:02:18I think we've woken it up.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21And the place even comes with its own legend.
0:02:21 > 0:02:23EVIL CACKLE
0:02:23 > 0:02:25The famous witch of Wookey,
0:02:25 > 0:02:28is a witch who used to live in these caves until the bishop
0:02:28 > 0:02:30came along and sprinkled holy water on her
0:02:30 > 0:02:33and she kind of put a curse on the villagers.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35The whole place has got a fantastic history.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38For Cottle, running a tourist attraction
0:02:38 > 0:02:40marks a new stage in his life.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44For most of his career, his name was synonymous with the circus.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49I saw my first circus when I was eight years old and I loved it
0:02:49 > 0:02:52and wanted to join it and I always wanted to be the boss.
0:02:53 > 0:02:58By his early 20s, Cottle had realised his ambition.
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Young lady or a gentleman over the age of 16,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04Mum or Dad to volunteer...
0:03:04 > 0:03:08It wasn't long before the circus boss was a household name.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Lady over there?
0:03:13 > 0:03:16When we first started in 1970, we made a documentary
0:03:16 > 0:03:18and we were in the front cover of the Radio Times.
0:03:18 > 0:03:22I've probably done ten different documentaries, different angles,
0:03:22 > 0:03:26and we're in show business, so the more our name's out there
0:03:26 > 0:03:27the better it is.
0:03:30 > 0:03:32Very good. Thank you very much.
0:03:35 > 0:03:40By 2001, Cottle and business partner Brian Austen were on a roll.
0:03:40 > 0:03:43Not content with running two travelling circuses,
0:03:43 > 0:03:47they decided risk spending one and a half million pounds
0:03:47 > 0:03:50on bringing the Chinese State Circus to the UK.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54Yeah, we do worry about investing that kind of money
0:03:54 > 0:03:56and when we say we're going to do it, we do it.
0:03:56 > 0:03:59We thought there was enough towns to have three shows
0:03:59 > 0:04:02and we thought we would be better bringing a circus, you know,
0:04:02 > 0:04:05a different circus every three years. That way we could, kind of,
0:04:05 > 0:04:07I suppose, be a bit greedy and monopolise the country in a way.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13To help generate publicity for his venture, Cottle agreed
0:04:13 > 0:04:18to take part in the BBC documentary series Trouble At The TOP.
0:04:18 > 0:04:21The cameras followed Cottle as he struggled to sell his show.
0:04:21 > 0:04:25Do any of you want tickets, by the way, while you're still in one group?
0:04:25 > 0:04:28- Can we sell those?- It's a Danny Parlet, you won't get a lot for it.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Now 12 years on, Cottle is going to relive
0:04:32 > 0:04:35the experience of his own cultural revolution.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41I don't remember ever seeing Chinese people not do the trick.
0:04:41 > 0:04:44So many of the actions, dropping, falling.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Nobody else had ever run three big shows like we did.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51We were turning over a fortune every week just to survive.
0:04:57 > 0:04:59March, 2000.
0:04:59 > 0:05:03The first time Cottle saw his one and a half million pound investment
0:05:03 > 0:05:04in the flesh.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08When we first saw them coming off the bus we thought,
0:05:08 > 0:05:10"Oh, dear me, they look very young,"
0:05:10 > 0:05:13and more than anything we looked at their passports quickly
0:05:13 > 0:05:15and the interesting thing was that they were all 16.
0:05:15 > 0:05:20This was the Chinese State Circus' first day in the UK
0:05:20 > 0:05:23and Cottle went to greet them as they arrived at the compound,
0:05:23 > 0:05:25their training ground before the tour began.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Mr Tiung, their interpreter, was the only one who spoke English.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33OK, shall we take them and have a look? This is Mr Tiung he's in charge
0:05:33 > 0:05:37- of the troupe. And the other one's Mr Pong.- Pong?- Pong.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40You've got to say that with a straight face, haven't you?
0:05:40 > 0:05:44The girls didn't seem overly impressed with their accommodation.
0:05:44 > 0:05:48We'd spent a lot of time and effort and months getting ready for this.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51You know, painted all the trucks, getting everything looking good.
0:05:51 > 0:05:54Planning the tour, that's the most important thing in the UK,
0:05:54 > 0:05:56is to go to the right town for the right show,
0:05:56 > 0:05:59and, you know, we were nervous when we saw them being so young
0:05:59 > 0:06:02and we thought, "Are they going to be good enough?"
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Unaware of Cottle's fears, the cook and the troupe director
0:06:06 > 0:06:09seem pleased with their exclusive boss wagon.
0:06:11 > 0:06:15But there was an empty bunk. The trainer hadn't turned up.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24Cottle and Austen had already two circuses,
0:06:24 > 0:06:27the traditional Cottle And Austin Electric
0:06:27 > 0:06:28and the Moscow State Circus.
0:06:28 > 0:06:32Their plan was to use the new circus to fill the best venues...
0:06:32 > 0:06:34but it was a gamble.
0:06:34 > 0:06:37It can't go wrong. We actually can't afford for it to go wrong
0:06:37 > 0:06:41because we have stretched our limits to put it together.
0:06:44 > 0:06:46It was opening night at the Cottle compound.
0:06:46 > 0:06:49And the pressure was on for the Chinese.
0:06:55 > 0:06:58They had to pull in 7,000 people a week
0:06:58 > 0:07:00for Cottle and Austen to break even.
0:07:00 > 0:07:05Otherwise, at the end of the season, they would be sent back to China.
0:07:05 > 0:07:08The first night was practically empty.
0:07:08 > 0:07:10It looked like they were well short of target.
0:07:10 > 0:07:15Year of the dragon. A brand new millennium and a brand new edition
0:07:15 > 0:07:17of one of the most famous circuses in the world.
0:07:17 > 0:07:22Ladies and gentlemen, the incomparable Chinese State Circus.
0:07:22 > 0:07:24BELL RINGS
0:07:24 > 0:07:27Probably opening too soon after they arrived but, you know,
0:07:27 > 0:07:29you've got to feed 30 people a day,
0:07:29 > 0:07:33how long do you practise before you actually open to the public?
0:07:33 > 0:07:34Trainer still hasn't arrived.
0:07:34 > 0:07:37He's coming in a few days' time, because he hurt himself.
0:07:40 > 0:07:43Enter the dragons. The year of the dragon gone, we're going.
0:07:43 > 0:07:45Enter the gladiators.
0:07:45 > 0:07:49- Find us some seats. Come on, then, do you job.- Where's Andrew?
0:07:49 > 0:07:51Close that door quick.
0:07:54 > 0:07:55Bloody hell!
0:07:58 > 0:08:01With no trainer, things were not going according to plan.
0:08:02 > 0:08:05I don't remember ever seeing Chinese people not do the trick.
0:08:05 > 0:08:09So many of the acts are dropping, falling...
0:08:09 > 0:08:11I don't know if they're meant to lay down...
0:08:11 > 0:08:14Cottle and Austen bought the circus on the strength
0:08:14 > 0:08:17of their record-breaking act - 17 girls on a bike.
0:08:17 > 0:08:22But they were starting to question if they even had the right troupe.
0:08:22 > 0:08:2612, 13... They're down to 13, Brian. Hey?
0:08:29 > 0:08:3411 years on, Cottle is running the Wookey Hole visitor attraction.
0:08:34 > 0:08:37But it's a tough time for the tourist industry
0:08:37 > 0:08:40As the crucial Christmas period approaches, Cottle needs
0:08:40 > 0:08:44to entice families to his Santa Land experience.
0:08:44 > 0:08:47He's meeting with manager Daniel to discuss his idea...
0:08:47 > 0:08:50slashing the ticket prices by 30%.
0:08:52 > 0:08:55I'd really like to try the £10 ticket.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58- Cor.- "Cor," he says, yes. - Giving it away.
0:08:58 > 0:09:00I think it's a radical move, but...
0:09:00 > 0:09:03My only concern is we've got to get an awful lot more visitors
0:09:03 > 0:09:05to come in to actually make up that shortfall.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Our cash flow is tight enough as it is, if we don't get the money
0:09:08 > 0:09:11that we want, or if we're down, we'll have to seriously think about
0:09:11 > 0:09:13laying off quite a lot of our work force.
0:09:13 > 0:09:17Yeah, but I think we'll have that problem whatever happens,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20if we're not careful. I think it's time for radical action,
0:09:20 > 0:09:23I mean we can't just plod on.
0:09:23 > 0:09:27Santa Land will be an important draw over the winter months
0:09:27 > 0:09:30and Cottle is gambling on his £10 ticket deal to pull in the punters.
0:09:32 > 0:09:35It's an experiment, if it works it might help us with next summer.
0:09:35 > 0:09:37We might do something similar next summer.
0:09:37 > 0:09:41If it doesn't work over this short Santa Land period
0:09:41 > 0:09:44then we wouldn't even think about it next summer.
0:09:45 > 0:09:49To generate publicity for his Santa Land, he's come up with an idea
0:09:49 > 0:09:53he hopes will capture the public's imagination.
0:09:53 > 0:09:55This is what we call the Big Eat.
0:09:55 > 0:09:57This is a mince pie eating competition.
0:09:57 > 0:10:00We just have to try to do something different to attract people.
0:10:00 > 0:10:04You can put adverts in newspapers, adverts in radio and television.
0:10:04 > 0:10:07But when you actually get a silly story, a fun story going around,
0:10:07 > 0:10:09it creates a lot more interest.
0:10:09 > 0:10:13For the contestants, it's a chance to win £1,000 -
0:10:13 > 0:10:16that is, if they have the stomach for it.
0:10:16 > 0:10:19Very strenuous training. I've been training all my entire life for this.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21This is my moment.
0:10:22 > 0:10:24I've done some stretches this morning, yes,
0:10:24 > 0:10:28and I've not eaten any spiders in the last three weeks.
0:10:28 > 0:10:33It's part of the course, eating lots, when you're pregnant.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36So not phased, really. Quite looking forward to it.
0:10:36 > 0:10:39And I've not had my mid-morning snack just in preparation for this.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44The stunt is costing over £3,000, so Cottle needs to make sure
0:10:44 > 0:10:47his Santa Land gets the publicity he needs.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50The press is here, which is the main thing. There's quite good...
0:10:50 > 0:10:54I think there's five snappers here, some of them are agencies.
0:10:54 > 0:10:57What we do, we get stories all over the place. It really makes people
0:10:57 > 0:11:00see that this is a fun place, it's good. All we need is Wookey Hole.
0:11:00 > 0:11:03All we need all the time is just Wookey Hole, Wookey Hole.
0:11:03 > 0:11:06But with minutes to go, Cottle notices a problem.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Yes, they're crumbling, yes, they are crumbling.
0:11:09 > 0:11:13That's new, but maybe they'll go down a bit easier with a bit of luck.
0:11:13 > 0:11:17No. As long as no-one chokes we'll be all right. They're cheap pies...
0:11:17 > 0:11:18No, sorry.
0:11:19 > 0:11:21The challenge was set.
0:11:21 > 0:11:24Ten minutes to eat as many mince pies as possible.
0:11:24 > 0:11:27ALL: Three, two, one, eat!
0:11:27 > 0:11:30AUDIENCE CHEERS
0:11:36 > 0:11:38The techniques were varied.
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Cheating,
0:11:40 > 0:11:42not making much of an effort,
0:11:42 > 0:11:44And eating way too fast.
0:11:44 > 0:11:47We've got a puker!
0:11:47 > 0:11:49We've got our first puker, give him a round of applause.
0:11:51 > 0:11:53The competition was fierce,
0:11:53 > 0:11:56but halfway through, still no clear winner.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09Three, two, one, give them all a cheer!
0:12:09 > 0:12:11APPLAUSE
0:12:11 > 0:12:15A Big Eat that ended in a dead heat.
0:12:15 > 0:12:20Two contestants ate 19 pies each, and Cottle spotted a headline.
0:12:20 > 0:12:23Should we have a pie-off? CHEERING
0:12:25 > 0:12:28Given the choice between splitting the money or having a pie-off,
0:12:28 > 0:12:31One of the winners decided to settle.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35I thought it was fun, it was great.
0:12:35 > 0:12:38I'd like to do a pie-off in the end, that's I would really like,
0:12:38 > 0:12:40but I could see he didn't look very well.
0:12:40 > 0:12:43£1,000 split between the winners.
0:12:43 > 0:12:46And hopefully, the perfect photo for a front page...
0:12:51 > 0:12:56Just like today, in 2000, Cottle was also thinking of ways
0:12:56 > 0:13:00to advertise his Chinese circus. He was dropping in to see PR man,
0:13:00 > 0:13:03Mark Brokovski, about a publicity stunt.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06This is my idea, I think it will work, but you've got to pull it off.
0:13:06 > 0:13:10I think what we should do is put them all in a coach, OK?
0:13:10 > 0:13:13Drive them down, let's say for a press gig.
0:13:13 > 0:13:18We get a driver who just goes off and leaves them behind
0:13:18 > 0:13:21with a cycle and they go off, they don't speak any English,
0:13:21 > 0:13:25- and they get on the motorway. - What, all 60 on one bike?
0:13:25 > 0:13:28All 60 on a bike, down that slip road from Heston services.
0:13:28 > 0:13:30We've got to be careful, I mean...
0:13:30 > 0:13:33We can't just, I mean, it's one thing having clowns
0:13:33 > 0:13:36protesting at Heathrow Airport and custard pies in the face,
0:13:36 > 0:13:41but to actually put the trick cyclists on the road.
0:13:41 > 0:13:43- Gerry...- The slip road down to the motorway...
0:13:43 > 0:13:45I mean, because it would be on the traffic reports.
0:13:45 > 0:13:48Can you imagine it? We tip off the AA...
0:13:48 > 0:13:52I know Heston very well, and also, I've been caught for speeding
0:13:52 > 0:13:56a few times, I certainly don't play with speed cops.
0:13:56 > 0:13:59I certainly don't think they would seen the right thing.
0:13:59 > 0:14:02You know, it's not going to get very far, is it?
0:14:02 > 0:14:05No, no, sure, it's a fun story as long as there's no accidents.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09That's the big, big thing. I mean, we're not going to risk an accident.
0:14:09 > 0:14:12Eventually they came up with a new idea, a photo shoot
0:14:12 > 0:14:16in Trafalgar Square where the girls would attempt a world record -
0:14:16 > 0:14:2017 on a bike, but the Chinese were refusing to go ahead.
0:14:20 > 0:14:22They feared it was too wet.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24I know it's nearly impossible,
0:14:24 > 0:14:27but we can attempt it, then we say it's too wet.
0:14:27 > 0:14:29It's better than saying no straightaway.
0:14:29 > 0:14:32Pushing the water out...
0:14:32 > 0:14:35Careful, mate, that's the only one we've got.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38They need to run but they can't run even on it. That's the problem.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51If we don't do a great press story
0:14:51 > 0:14:56when we launch a new show, it would take weeks or even months to get...
0:14:56 > 0:15:00the Chinese State Circus is here in Britain ready to do a tour.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02You know, I'm quite proud sometimes, one would have said
0:15:02 > 0:15:05I'm the Barnum of Britain nowadays.
0:15:05 > 0:15:07I think that's very much about being a showman.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10It's all right having a circus, it's all right putting a musical on,
0:15:10 > 0:15:14but if you don't get the public's interest by creating something a bit
0:15:14 > 0:15:18different, a bit special, you're not really doing the show any justice.
0:15:19 > 0:15:22Back at the big top, Cottle and Austen
0:15:22 > 0:15:26discover their Trafalgar Square publicity stunt had paid off.
0:15:26 > 0:15:29That was the Indie again. We got the front page of that,
0:15:29 > 0:15:31that was excellent.
0:15:31 > 0:15:33Yes, that was very good. I reckon we only got front page
0:15:33 > 0:15:34cos she fell off.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37Probably, yes. Made a good picture.
0:15:37 > 0:15:39Thankfully, the extra publicity meant
0:15:39 > 0:15:43the audiences were flocking in. And there was more good news...
0:15:43 > 0:15:45the trainer had finally arrived.
0:15:52 > 0:15:54Since the trainer's been here, it's been a lot, lot better.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57I mean, it doesn't just mean he shouts at them, but he is the man
0:15:57 > 0:16:00that trained them and he just stands there and he does make them do one
0:16:00 > 0:16:03or two things again, and he's made all the difference in the world.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05He's quite tough but they seem to like him.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07See if they do 17 on the bike today,
0:16:07 > 0:16:10that's the next thing we've got to get in the show.
0:16:12 > 0:16:17Still not the world record, but at least the girls were up to 15.
0:16:19 > 0:16:23Back at the office, Cottle and Austen met with their accountant
0:16:23 > 0:16:26to discuss their debts. He was frustrated with some
0:16:26 > 0:16:28of the cheap tickets they'd been handing out.
0:16:28 > 0:16:34You don't charge enough. And the 50%-off reduces your prices,
0:16:34 > 0:16:36but you don't get anybody complaining.
0:16:36 > 0:16:38We never get anybody complaining about the show or the prices.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41My wife's optician said unless 10% were complaining
0:16:41 > 0:16:43about the price, she wasn't charging enough.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48It must be possible to find one or two who want to earn a bit extra.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51I mean, the Chinese are notorious for hard work, aren't they?
0:16:51 > 0:16:53Yeah, but they're all in the show and I mean...
0:16:53 > 0:16:57Yes, but I mean what are they doing in the interval?
0:16:57 > 0:16:59That's another one of our growing bills of course, is yours.
0:16:59 > 0:17:02- Of course.- Accountancy is getting very expensive for us now,
0:17:02 > 0:17:04with the three shows.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09We keep talking about that every time we see you, the bill, don't we?
0:17:09 > 0:17:10Yeah, they never get any smaller.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12Never looked at ways of cutting them.
0:17:12 > 0:17:15Ken Morgan's been a friend of ours since the very early days,
0:17:15 > 0:17:18he's our personal accountant, he's a personal family friend
0:17:18 > 0:17:21and he's absolutely right with a lot of things
0:17:21 > 0:17:25he says about making money, but we are the showmen and apart from
0:17:25 > 0:17:30having headline acts, gimmicks and things, we also know what happens.
0:17:30 > 0:17:32We know that a lot of people can't afford the top prices
0:17:32 > 0:17:34so we do have to discount.
0:17:34 > 0:17:38It's always been a bone of contention, Ken would charge more.
0:17:38 > 0:17:41But we think we cater for our public.
0:17:46 > 0:17:5012 years on, owning Wookey Hole has allowed Cottle
0:17:50 > 0:17:54to realise his dreams of creating a circus school.
0:17:54 > 0:17:57The Circus School started almost four years ago, and they're
0:17:57 > 0:18:00local boys and girls, and they come along two nights a week.
0:18:00 > 0:18:04We experimented with this last year where we do 50 acts in 50 minutes.
0:18:04 > 0:18:07I just thought, it's 50 years since I left home, ran away and joined
0:18:07 > 0:18:13the circus, but also, they can all do most things but not that well,
0:18:13 > 0:18:16so, rather than doing a full circus act for six or seven minutes,
0:18:16 > 0:18:21they just do a minute or two minutes and we get a lot more out of it.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Today, they're rehearsing for their Santa Land performance.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Fiona is one of the main characters on their Christmas show.
0:18:28 > 0:18:31I have a fairy godmother and she takes me
0:18:31 > 0:18:35to places where would like to go, and there's a witch
0:18:35 > 0:18:37and she gives me 50 acts in 50 minutes.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Well, there's this part where I go up some ladders,
0:18:43 > 0:18:45really high ladders, but it's really scary.
0:18:54 > 0:18:58Cottle has made sure his circus school is a family affair.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01His grandchildren Salam and Ellen are both artists
0:19:01 > 0:19:05on the show and son-in-law Willy is head coach of the school.
0:19:06 > 0:19:09Having Dad as my coach, as well, it's actually quite nice,
0:19:09 > 0:19:12working with the family. I really enjoy it, personally.
0:19:12 > 0:19:14I really, really enjoy it, yeah.
0:19:14 > 0:19:1813-year-old Salam hopes to follow in his grandfather's footsteps.
0:19:22 > 0:19:27He's been in circus probably since he was 15 through now,
0:19:27 > 0:19:31so has my mum, his other daughters, and so have I.
0:19:33 > 0:19:37The Circus School's amazing. I love it, it's basically my life.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42I'm really proud of the Circus School, I want the Circus School
0:19:42 > 0:19:44to work long time.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47I'd like to see boys and girls from the Wookey Hole Circus School
0:19:47 > 0:19:49appearing round the world.
0:19:49 > 0:19:54Back in 2000, the Chinese Circus was proving a success...
0:19:54 > 0:19:56but the dangerous tricks were causing injuries
0:19:56 > 0:19:59and the girls were down to only 13 on the bike.
0:19:59 > 0:20:03Worse still, Cottle had made a disturbing discovery -
0:20:03 > 0:20:07his Chinese performers might not be the record holders.
0:20:07 > 0:20:10In one of my trade magazines, a French magazine I get,
0:20:10 > 0:20:15there was 19 on a bike at some big festival overseas at some point.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18So they were cheating us all the time.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21THEY GIGGLE
0:20:21 > 0:20:25Cottle and Austen decided to check the original video they were sent.
0:20:26 > 0:20:29- They're not the same troupe.- Brian, they probably could be, they've just
0:20:29 > 0:20:32- dressed them differently.- No, they're not. Not even the same act.
0:20:32 > 0:20:35- This was just a video they sent us. - It probably is the same troupe but
0:20:35 > 0:20:38- they've dressed up like monks there. - I mean, that's the thing you've got
0:20:38 > 0:20:41to be careful of now, they send you these tapes that are out of date.
0:20:41 > 0:20:44Originally, we used to go and see every act, all over the place,
0:20:44 > 0:20:47but now we do go a lot more on video,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50so we could be fooled much more easy, couldn't we?
0:20:50 > 0:20:54- Well, that's a little boy so... - That's not a girl.
0:20:54 > 0:20:56We did say we didn't want the hot pants.
0:20:56 > 0:20:58We certainly didn't want this music.
0:20:58 > 0:21:01- We quite like the hot pants now, don't we?- We did in the end, yeah.
0:21:01 > 0:21:0611, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16,
0:21:06 > 0:21:09and one on the bike is 17.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12- We got diddled.- I suppose we are a bit cheesed off.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15I think we should bring it up again and see what can be done.
0:21:15 > 0:21:18Yeah, we felt a little bit let down, I wouldn't say conned
0:21:18 > 0:21:21but kind of misled a bit.
0:21:22 > 0:21:25And, I mean, we've done that with other acts.
0:21:25 > 0:21:29You know, nowadays, once you've seen the video or the DVD, nowadays
0:21:29 > 0:21:32you do actually need to go and see the act itself.
0:21:32 > 0:21:36As the Chinese State Circus tour came to an end, Cottle and Austen
0:21:36 > 0:21:41met with their accountant to find out if their gamble had paid off.
0:21:41 > 0:21:44They had to decide whether to keep the circus for another season
0:21:44 > 0:21:46or send them back home.
0:21:46 > 0:21:49I mean, I think you will have done better with the three
0:21:49 > 0:21:51than you would have done with two.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53As it happens, right this second...
0:21:53 > 0:21:58Particularly, because as I sense from the information I've seen,
0:21:58 > 0:22:03that the Chinese has done better than the Electric Circus.
0:22:03 > 0:22:04I think the concept of the three shows,
0:22:04 > 0:22:07the fact that you've got out financially, and although you
0:22:07 > 0:22:10probably haven't made as much profit per show
0:22:10 > 0:22:13as you were before, I think you've got to build on that for next year.
0:22:13 > 0:22:16And then you could charge more realistically.
0:22:16 > 0:22:18Cos if you'd had everybody coming in not on half price,
0:22:18 > 0:22:21you'd have had a sensational year.
0:22:21 > 0:22:25The Chinese State Circus gamble had paid off and the act continues
0:22:25 > 0:22:27to tour the UK.
0:22:27 > 0:22:32However, in 2003, Cottle sold his share in all three circuses
0:22:32 > 0:22:33to his business partner.
0:22:35 > 0:22:37A year later, Austen decided to close
0:22:37 > 0:22:40the traditional Electric Circus.
0:22:42 > 0:22:45We're about to open the doors for Santa Land,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48we've done a lot of work on it, we've renovated the grotto,
0:22:48 > 0:22:52we've practised this big Christmas circus, which is really fabulous,
0:22:52 > 0:22:55I think it is, anyway. And, you know, we're all ready.
0:22:55 > 0:23:00Cottle needs an extra 2,500 visitors over the Santa Land season
0:23:00 > 0:23:05just to his cover costs. He hopes the £10 ticket will do the trick.
0:23:05 > 0:23:09Absolutely brilliant, I mean, we paid £10 for us three
0:23:09 > 0:23:13and the two little ones are free, so really good.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15I was just on the internet and just came across it and thought,
0:23:15 > 0:23:18well, for the price, had to come down and see what's going on.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20We need to keep the figures up, you know.
0:23:20 > 0:23:23That's the big question at the end of the day, keep the numbers up.
0:23:23 > 0:23:27And I think we're doing it but we only do it by keep plodding away.
0:23:27 > 0:23:30I think, trying to make a great excitement, you can only do that
0:23:30 > 0:23:32when you do something for the first time.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35When you do it year after year, it's much more difficult, and that's
0:23:35 > 0:23:38the difference I've learned, running a travelling circus,
0:23:38 > 0:23:41you hit the town once every three years. With Wookey Hole,
0:23:41 > 0:23:45it's here 52 weeks of the year so that's much more difficult.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52This is where they first go into the grotto and it's very early,
0:23:52 > 0:23:54we've had a couple of families, here's another couple
0:23:54 > 0:23:56of families coming up straightaway.
0:23:56 > 0:24:00What's interesting, there's always about three adults to every child.
0:24:00 > 0:24:03For Cottle, Santa's grotto is the attraction
0:24:03 > 0:24:05he hopes will bring in the families.
0:24:05 > 0:24:08For the children, it's a chance to walk into a new world
0:24:08 > 0:24:10and meet Santa.
0:24:10 > 0:24:12- Are you guys ready to come and see Father Christmas?- Yeah.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Do you want to follow me?
0:24:17 > 0:24:21- Hello!- Hello!
0:24:21 > 0:24:23Hello, hello, hello.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26Now, what I want you to do between now and Christmas...
0:24:26 > 0:24:28you've got to keep your bedroom tidy.
0:24:28 > 0:24:32- Mine's always tidy. - Yours is always tidy?
0:24:32 > 0:24:34Mine is always messy.
0:24:36 > 0:24:39Santa's grotto seems to be a success with the children.
0:24:41 > 0:24:43Happy Christmas.
0:24:43 > 0:24:47But would Santa Land be a hit with the adults, too?
0:24:47 > 0:24:49What you get is amazing.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51You've got everything here, you've got a circus, you've got
0:24:51 > 0:24:54Father Christmas, then you got the use of the whole of Wookey Hole.
0:24:54 > 0:24:58You can have a whole day out for £10 each, it's brilliant.
0:25:00 > 0:25:03I think what's important about this grotto is it's permanent,
0:25:03 > 0:25:06we've spent a lot of time and money building it
0:25:06 > 0:25:10and all these creatures are moving all the time and it's rather lovely.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13You know you go to see Santa in a garden centre and most places,
0:25:13 > 0:25:16and he's in a kind of garden shed with a few decorations,
0:25:16 > 0:25:19whereas here this is really done very beautifully, I think.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Don't you like the bunnies?
0:25:22 > 0:25:26By the afternoon, queues are forming at the grotto.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29Cottle starts to relax.
0:25:29 > 0:25:32A lot of people pre-book for Santa but there's also people buying.
0:25:32 > 0:25:34I think it's going very well.
0:25:34 > 0:25:38The Santa Land ticket also includes a circus show.
0:25:38 > 0:25:39After months of rehearsals,
0:25:39 > 0:25:43the stars of the Wookey Hole Circus School are getting ready
0:25:43 > 0:25:44for their big moment.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47Just relax, but there are a some important people in today
0:25:47 > 0:25:50so don't forget to kind of concentrate.
0:25:50 > 0:25:53- Anyway, have a good show. ALL:- Thank you!
0:25:53 > 0:25:55Or as they say, break a leg.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59That's a superstition. I don't like saying that.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02Not with you lot, anyway.
0:26:05 > 0:26:07And it's show time!
0:26:15 > 0:26:18Cottle is pleased with the turn-out and delighted with his pupils.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23It's a good show, isn't it? It's a very good show.
0:26:23 > 0:26:26You get so much more than they see in a normal circus.
0:26:26 > 0:26:28That's why, yeah.
0:26:37 > 0:26:40They're so busy concentrating, they don't smile all the time.
0:26:40 > 0:26:43You probably haven't noticed, but I have.
0:26:43 > 0:26:46When they were doing spins on the webs, one of them let go
0:26:46 > 0:26:49and one didn't. All those little things that just finish it off.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51But they're great. No, they're fine.
0:27:01 > 0:27:05Despite a few minor glitches, the show is a success.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07But would Cottle's big gamble pay off?
0:27:09 > 0:27:12Slashing the ticket prices meant Cottle needed a big increase
0:27:12 > 0:27:14in the number of visitors.
0:27:14 > 0:27:19He meets with manager Daniel to check on the latest figures.
0:27:19 > 0:27:22I feel happier now, I felt the first hour, "Oh, dear me, it's dead,"
0:27:22 > 0:27:24but I thought it was good.
0:27:24 > 0:27:27It was a big gamble, reducing the price to £10 a ticket
0:27:27 > 0:27:30but it has actually paid off. I didn't think it would do.
0:27:30 > 0:27:33We're 30% up today and we still have a couple of hours of trading left.
0:27:33 > 0:27:36We're about 50% up on bookings so far.
0:27:36 > 0:27:38We're earning a bit more in souvenirs and catering
0:27:38 > 0:27:40and everything else.
0:27:40 > 0:27:44And I like all the staff dressed up. It's a good atmosphere
0:27:44 > 0:27:46but, no, I feel good.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50But facing a tough economic climate, Cottle will need
0:27:50 > 0:27:55all his showman's skills to keep his family business alive.
0:27:55 > 0:27:57I won't retire, I don't want to retire,
0:27:57 > 0:27:58and I've never wanted to retire.
0:27:58 > 0:28:02I have no interest in it, at all. I get frustrated
0:28:02 > 0:28:05that live show business is in the doldrums at the moment.
0:28:05 > 0:28:09But deep down, I've always wanted a circus school.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13And everything that I've wanted to do, basically, I've done...
0:28:15 > 0:28:18..really without any hesitation. I mean, I'm personally probably going
0:28:18 > 0:28:21to put another circus back on the road, which will keep me busy
0:28:21 > 0:28:22for a year or two
0:28:22 > 0:28:25because I want the kids from the Circus School to go somewhere.
0:28:25 > 0:28:28Like I say, I didn't come here to start a circus school,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31but it's my best, my proudest achievement
0:28:31 > 0:28:33and, hopefully, my legacy.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd