Giant ice rink frozen out by rising energy costs

THE UK’s largest outdoor ice rink will not be returning to Westonsuper-Mare this winter due to rising energy costs.

Icescape says the cost of running a rink in the seaside resort is likely to be five times that of when it last visited in 2019 due to the spiralling costs of energy.

The rink normally sets up at

The Tropicana but was unable to do so this year due to the SEE Monster art installation being in situ.

The artwork was initially due to open at the beginning of the summer holidays and run for two months.

But the opening was hit by delays and it finally went live at the end of September. The monster is due to close on November 5.

The decommissioning process will begin the next day and is expected to take up until Christmas.

Other sites - which it is understood included the redundant land at Dolphin Square - were offered as an alternative.

In a statement Icescape said: “Due to delays in the SEE

Monster event taking place at the Tropicana, unfortunately the venue is not available for us to use again this winter.

“We have been working alongside North Somerset Council looking at other possible locations for a winter ice rink in Weston.

“Although another location was found, mains power was not available with this having to be installed by the council and with the cost of energy it made the event financially unviable.

We would like to thank North Somerset Council for their work in trying to find an alternative site and we hope to return in the future.”