Are all Planet Ice-run rinks shabby? I know Basingstoke is grim and Gosport isn't what you'd call shiny...
Basingstoke is complex, there is an argument that Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council sold a defective rink to PI that led to perma frost destroying the pad. That said, PI don’t seem to have invested much. They bought the lease from BDBC and sold it on at a significant profit to a third party company, much to the annoyance of the council I suspect. The eating facilities are poor, the general state of the place is atrocious. I can’t say it appeals as a place for a nice day out. The ice used to be awful. It’s much better since Colin took over the management,
Gosport seems okay to me, a bit small, but perfectly okay.
PI are run by business men (and they are all men) and not by skating enthusiasts, which is far from ideal. There is a lack of transparency as we have no idea of the amount of money PI take as dividends and salaries. They might be raking in a fortune. Or not. I have heard one of the seniors PI people talk, and he comes across as very hard nosed.
Guildford Spectrum is run by a non profit body. That includes a rink, swimming bath, gyms and other facilities under one roof, which is a far more appealing place for a day or evening out.