Get your skates ready Spring opening date revealed for ice rink
BRISTOL’S long wait for a new indoor ice rink is nearly over with a new attraction set to open to the public in spring 2021.
The Cribbs Causeway attraction is part of a major new development headed up by Baylis Estates and will be run by the UK’s largest ice rink operator, Planet Ice.
Located just off Merlin Road, it will provide international standard skating facilities designed to accommodate a range of icerelated activities and sports.
With capacity for 1,300 spectators it will also become the new home for Bristol’s ice hockey team, The Bristol Pitbulls, who have played their home matches at Oxford Ice Rink since 2012 due to the closure of the former Bristol Ice Rink in Frogmore Street.
Construction for the highly anticipated new attraction has continued as planned despite the challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic, with the team behind it hopeful of opening the doors to the public in spring next year.
Heath Rhodes, chief operating officer of Planet Ice, said: “We’re looking forward to bringing Planet Ice to Cribbs Causeway.
“In what’s been a challenging year for everyone, we’re thankful to Baylis Estates and their main contractor Beard Construction for being able to successfully keep the build programme on schedule.
“This has meant we’re now able to start preparing for fitting-out and open the doors to the public in the spring.”
Fitting out at the new rink will be starting “very soon”, added a spokesperson for the development.
Construction of the main building has been completed, and Baylis Estates are preparing to hand it over to Planet Ice.
David Mace, managing director of Baylis Estates, said: “This is fantastic news for Bristol and something for ice skating and ice hockey fans to look forward to following the closure of the old Frogmore Street rink back in 2012.
“Planet Ice will be a great addition to the existing leisure attractions at Cribbs Causeway.”
The Planet Ice rink is part of the latest phase of development at Cribbs Causeway by Baylis Estates.
Adjacent to the ice rink site, a Costa Coffee Drive Thru opened its doors to the public at the beginning of 2020, and fit-out of a new Jaguar Land Rover showroom is about to begin.
Bristol’s last public ice rink is fondly remembered by many in the city.
The rink shut in 2012 after 46 years, despite a fierce campaign to save it that drew support from skaters Torvill and Dean and fellow Olympic medallist Robin Cousins.
The ice rink was opened in 1966 and was famous for its connections with Olympic champion Robin Cousins.
Cousins grew up in Sea Mills and started learning to skate as soon as the rink opened. His career highlight came 14 years later when he won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in New York.
The huge complex in Frogmore Street, once the biggest entertainment complex in Europe, originally boasted a ballroom, nightclub, bingo hall, banqueting rooms and amusement arcade but most of the centre closed down in the early 1990s.