The Board of Merlin Entertainments plc will set the interim dividend as approximately one third of the prior year's full year dividend. On this basis the Board announces its intention to pay an interim dividend of 2.2 pence per share which represents growth of 4.8% on the 2015 interim dividend. The Board maintains its commitment to a progressive annual dividend paying out 35-40% of normalized profit after tax. This will be paid on 19 September 2016 to shareholders on the register on 12 August 2016 and ex-dividend date is 11 August 2016.

Andrew Carr will step down as a member of the Board of Merlin Entertainments plc with effect from 1 August 2016 and Anne-Francoise Nesmes will then succeed him as Chief Financial Officer. Yun (Rachel) Chiang was appointed as a Non-executive Director to the Board of Merlin Entertainments plc with effect from 1 January 2016.