Robin Thornton Long-time tourism ambassador for the Isle of Wight, Robin William Thornton, died at the age of 84 in July 2020. Best known for his ownership of Old Park Hotel and Tropical Bird Park in St Lawrence, he was a big supporter of tourism for both the Ventnor area and the whole Island. Mr Thornton and his wife Shirley ran the popular tourist attraction from the 1960s through to 1999, and Mr Thornton was an active member of Ventnor Hotels Association and a founding member of the Isle of Wight Places Manage Cookie Preferences