Closure of Plymouth Pavilions Rink in Devon, UK

[WednesdayMarch]

The Plymouth Herald reported yesterday, 11th October 2022, that the Plymouth Pavilions ice rink is to close "in the new year" citing energy costs as the reason. The rink site was sold to a developer 10 years ago for the princely sum of £1, on the condition that he built a new rink for the city before redeveloping the site as yet another hotel. Obviously he's done his best to get out of this obligation and we still are no further towards getting our new rink, despite the site being ready and the plans passed.

We have a petition going and if anybody would be so kind as to sign and maybe even share it, then all the Plymouth skaters would be very grateful. We don't intend to give up without a fight.

https://www.change.org%2Fp%2Fkeep-the-ice-rink-open-or-supply-a-new-rink

[transmissionoftheflame]

Signed.


Sorry to hear this news and good luck with the campaign.


I am surprised more rinks are not closing; most of the ones I visit seem pretty empty.  Probably the council ones are subsidised, but goodness knows how the Planet Ice rinks survive.

[spinZZ]

I am surprised more rinks are not closing; most of the ones I visit seem pretty empty.  Probably the council ones are subsidised, but goodness knows how the Planet Ice rinks survive.

I'm surprised to hear that.  I'm in the US.  In my area, we have the opposite problem. Rinks have been jammed.  One private rink closed, but not due to lack of business.  The building was leased; and when the lease terminated, the property owner decided they could make more money by tearing down the rink and building a warehouse.  Skaters who used that rink, particularly the hockey teams, had to migrate to surrounding rinks.

Public sessions have been scaled back at several rinks I go to.  But again, not due to lack of demand.  The rinks have not been able to hire enough staff. 

And over the summer, weekend public sessions usually are fairly empty.  People tend to be travelling or heading off to the beach.  But totally different story this past summer.  Because of high gas prices and the overall mess with travel, looks like many people stayed home and decided to cool off at the rinks, instead of the beaches.

[WednesdayMarch]

Wow!

Trouble is, owing to total lack of advertising, nobody seems to know that our rink is there...

[transmissionoftheflame]

I think in the UK people just got out of the habit of skating recreationally at ice rinks, at least to the same extent as before covid.  I expect they are kept ticking over by hockey, learn to skate and figure skaters training.  In other sad news, it looks like Rollerworld in Colchester is closing - I think one of the UK's last good sized roller rinks with a wonderful maple floor and all the markings for school figures.  Worth a trip before 30th November if you skate on wheels.


Shame that Plymouth doesn't seem to be run by people who know what they are doing.  Perhaps Planet Ice survive as they can afford to put more into marketing given that the operate so many rinks.

[WednesdayMarch]

Rollerworld closing?! That's really sad.

The person who owns Plymouth, unfortunately, knew exactly what he was doing. He didn't want it to thrive as he never intended to build the promised replacement. What he wanted was to be able to say, "It's not viable." Covid and then the energy crisis played right into his hands. Despite all the problems with Covid and the fact that the rink is never advertised, it actually made a profit in 2020/21!

[transmissionoftheflame]

Rollerworld closing?! That's really sad.

The person who owns Plymouth, unfortunately, knew exactly what he was doing. He didn't want it to thrive as he never intended to build the promised replacement. What he wanted was to be able to say, "It's not viable." Covid and then the energy crisis played right into his hands. Despite all the problems with Covid and the fact that the rink is never advertised, it actually made a profit in 2020/21!

Ah I see.  That's annoying.  I don't crave more money than I already have except for times like this - if I were a multi millionaire I would buy both rinks and have them run properly.


Richmond was promised another rink and never got it - to this day, that part of London is poorly served.  At least Lambeth council got a new swimming pool and rink built in Streatham, even a temporary rink in Brixton which was actually pretty decent. 
Bristol got a new rink, eventually, and Lee Valley are saying they will open their two pads "this winter".

[WednesdayMarch]

The old Southampton rink was built with covenants on the land that stated if it was sold for development, another rink had to be provided. It was pulled down in 1988, a year before Richmond, but the new rink was never built.

[transmissionoftheflame]

The old Southampton rink was built with covenants on the land that stated if it was sold for development, another rink had to be provided. It was pulled down in 1988, a year before Richmond, but the new rink was never built.

Thanks - I didn't know that.  It's odd that the south coast is so poorly served by rinks.  I believe there used to be a rink in Brighton too.

[WednesdayMarch]

There certainly was one that way. Might have been Worthing, can't remember. Bournemouth also had a very popular one.

[transmissionoftheflame]

There certainly was one that way. Might have been Worthing, can't remember. Bournemouth also had a very popular one.

I seem to remember Chris Howarth, former UK competitor now technical commentator for Eurosport, saying he learnt there, where he grew up.  He told a funny story about not being able to find black boots so he painted a white pair but left streaks of paint on the ice when he did a drag.