Big names draw up plans for ice rink (From This is Hampshire)

Big names draw up plans for ice rink

10:36am Friday 29th August 2008

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TWO of the biggest names in Britain's leisure industry are drawing up plans to build an ice rink in the heart of Southampton, the Daily Echo can today exclusively reveal.

Two top-secret sites have been identified in the city centre and the rival developers are in advanced talks with Southamp-ton City Council.

The development comes after campaigners last week rallied through Southampton calling for a new ice rink 20 years to the day after the city's Top Rank rink closed down.

Marching under the banner of United Southampton Skaters (USS), the skaters, ice hockey players and ice dancers handed a Daily Echo backed petition with 5,000 signatures to the council.

Details of the rink proposals are a closely guarded secret but the Echo has learnt both operators have met with the council to discuss their vision.

One of the proposed sites is on private land near the waterfront, while the second is an inner city area of part private and publicly owned land.

USS organiser Natalie Murphy said: "It would be superb if this happens. We will be waiting with baited breath but we have seen schemes come and go before. If these developers are serious then what they need to do is work with USS."

Fellow organiser Edna Boden said: "If it's true it's great news. As long as hopes are not going to be dashed again."

Kerry Payne, chairman of Southampton Ice Dance and Figure Skating Club, added: "I will believe it when I see it. We've heard this flannel before."

The Echo understands one proposal is to build an ice rink as part of multi-million winter sports complex.

As revealed by the Echo in February, developers X-Leisure want to build a giant snow dome that would feature a 200m slope covered with tonnes of fresh snow everyday.

Xscape Southampton could attract up to four million visitors a year from across the south and pump millions into the local economy.

The council hopes an ice rink could be an attraction alongside shops, bars, restaurants and other activities such as indoor skydiving, rock climbing and a skateboard park. Xscape has already proved hugely successful in Milton Keynes, Leeds and Glasgow.

Councillor John Hannides, Cabinet member for leisure, confirmed the council had met with the developers.

He said the Conservative administration wanted to attract operators who could run the ice rink at a profit.

"We have gone beyond anything that has been done by any previous administration to attract potential operators to Southampton to the point that we are pursuing opportunities that have never been considered," he said.

"We are investing a lot of time and energy to make this happen. We are acting as a facilitator by helping to bring together the players to make this happen."

Any development is still "years" away from starting construction, but Cllr Hannides said one developer was already investigating the potential popularity of the rink.

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