National Ice Centre names re-opening date

The National Ice Centre will reopen on Tuesday 8 September following a five-month closure due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Staff have been workingto make the venue Covid-Secure including the installation of one-way systems around the venue, creation and fitting of social distance guidelines signage, and robust cleaning regimes which will see all customer areas cleaned regularly throughout the day.

Public skating sessions, which must be pre-booked and paid for in advance online, will run at reduced capacities to limit the number of people on the ice and cash will not be accepted at the venue to minimise the risk of any infection spreading. Customers must also wear a face covering inside the venue unless skating on the ice rink, in line with government guidance.

Budding ice stars, hockey players and professional skaters will be able to get back onto the ice to train for the first time in over five months with all skating lessons and ice sports activities available to pre-book online from Monday 31 August.

Stephen Chaston, head of operations at the National Ice Centre said: “It’s been a tough five months for the industry and the venue itself but I’m very proud of how our teams have pulled together and worked hard to make the venue Covid-secure.

“We’ve received the ‘We’re Good To Go’ mark – a UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark to highlight that we adhere to Government and public health guidance so we’re all set and looking forward to welcoming skaters safely back into our building and onto the ice.”
Bookings for birthday parties and group skating sessions are currently unable to be taken and will not be available until further notice. Encore Bar & Restaurant on level 2 of the venue will be open during weekends only with a reduced menu.
Public skating sessions will be available to pre-book on the National Ice Centre’s website from Monday 31 August.

As well as working hard to make the venue Covid-secure, the National Ice Centre’s Facilities team have been working on an eight-week long project to install a new refrigeration plant.

Manufactured in the UK with the electrical panel produced in Derby, the refrigeration plant is the most critical piece of equipment in the venue and replaces the original plant that was installed over 20 years ago.

Lee Chadburn, facilities manager at the National Ice Centre said: “As one of the busiest venues in the world for ice sports, we heavily rely on the plant being effective and reliable 365 days a year. The plant specification has been fine-tuned to deliver efficiency and reliability and it will last much longer than the previous plant.”