Rink closes for £60,000 upgrade

Most of the investment will go towards new freezing equipment

Bristol ice rink is closing for two weeks for a £60,000 upgrade.

Work at the Frogmore Street skating venue includes the installation of new freezing equipment, general repairs and a new paint job.

There were concerns the current refrigeration plant would not cope with increasingly hot summers.

Rink bosses reported the last financial year to be their "best ever". The venue closes at 2200 BST on Friday and reopens on 23 June.

Skating revival

The 41-year-old rink survived a closure attempt by the Rank Organisation in the early 90s, after a fall in admissions.

It was leased by John Nike Leisuresport and officially reopened in 1992 by Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins who learned to skate at Bristol.

General manager Eddie Pearson said: "Since the rink was reopened by Robin in 1992 the ice pad has been freezing reasonably well.

"Last year, however, there were times when we were not confident that we could hold onto the ice.

"With the fact that summers are getting hotter and hotter, it was felt that it was a sensible decision to invest some of our funds into ensuring that we can hold the ice comfortably throughout any conditions."

He said there had been a big increase in interest in the sport following the popularity of television ice-skating shows and the introduction of ice-karting.

The rink is also involved in a number of initiatives to encourage a healthier lifestyle among local children.