Ice rink lease to be sold in £250m regen project
A POPULAR leisure and tourist attraction will undergo a multi-million pound revamp if its owners can find a new investor to take on the lease.
Telford Ice Rink is the only rink in Shropshire, and one of just a handful in the West Midlands, sitting within the heart of the town near the well-known shopping complex and opposite the International Centre.
Telford and Wrekin Council has announced it is seeking investors with particular expertise in the industry to take on the lease for the operation of the rink and the building itself, in order to improve the facilities.
The council will remain as the owners of the rink and it is now inviting operators to submit proposals identifying how they would meet the authority’s investment requirements.
The successful bidder would be required to renovate the rink and its facilities and create a new frontage.
A spokesman for the authority said it could not put a firm figure on how much money would be spent on the project at this stage or exactly what work would be carried out as this would be decided by the tenders received.
Leisure chief Cllr Stephen Bentley said: “Telford Ice Rink is a great facility for the town that is very well used however it’s in need of some major investment.
“By working with specialist operators who can bring investment and expertise, we can ensure that the facilities at Telford Ice Rink are improved for residents and visitors now and in the future.
“The ice rink will form an integral part of the strong mix of leisure attractions, which combined with new cultural facilities in the heart of the town centre, will make Telford a real draw and destination for people locally and regionally.”
The appeal for investment is part of a £250m regeneration project run by the council and the International Centre’s owners Southwater Event Group.
When completed, it will see new shops, bars, cafes and hundreds of homes come to the St Quentin Gate area of Telford, estimated to bring an extra 250,000 visitors to the area a year.
Tender responses for the future management of the ice rink will be presented to the council in the autumn.
