The Royal Pavilion’s first ever outdoor real Ice Rink opens its gates to the public this week - on November 13th until January 16th. The first skaters at 10am on Saturday will be given scrummy free hot drinks by Due South, who are running the ice rink restaurant.
School choirs which book to perform Christmas songs at the rink on weekdays at 4.15 during the next two months, will be offered free skating and will also help attract well-wishers to support the Argus Appeal team, who will be collecting for local charities then.
School choirs should email organiser Shella Parkin at shella.parkin@virgin.net with their details, suggested dates and how many children will be singing. School groups can also book tickets at the discounted price of £4 per head off-peak, which can be booked from Ticketmaster on 0844 844 2121.
The rink, which also has a stunning heated restaurant created by Due South, promises to dazzle Brighton this Christmas, providing a superb experience for people in the city, as well as attracting thousands of visitors from elsewhere. It is the only rink in the country with its own pre-school crèche, beginners’ area and ‘penguin’ skate aids especially for youngsters, and aims to be the Christmas rink for families to visit outside of London.
Shella Parkin of Laine Ltd, behind the attraction, said: “We’re really excited about bringing a real ice outdoor rink to Brighton for Christmas 2010. We hope to create a genuinely festive experience with a traditional feel, raising the bar for rinkside dining and going out of our way to make children and families feel welcome and hope to raise plenty of money for charity too.”
With the former Royal pleasure palace as backdrop, the 700 square metre rink has space for 200 skaters per session and the team behind the scheme, who are working with the Royal Pavilion and Brighton & Hove City Council, anticipate thousands of visitors.
Royal Pavilion Ice Rink tickets cost from £9.50-£11 for adults and from £6.50-£7.50 for children under 12 and the one-hour skate times run from 10am to 10.15pm daily, on sale online at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or by calling 0844 847 2352.
Known for its commitment to locally sourced ingredients, Due South’s fully licensed rinkside restaurant, open 9am to midnight, will serve passing customers with warming, seasonal dishes including Castle Farm steak & real ale pie, Honey roasted ham hock with buttered mash and a rich organic cider sauce, South Downs venison curry with rice and poppadom, seasonal fruit crumbles, cakes baked daily and luxurious ice creams. It also offers scrumptious party menus and Christmas dinners – pre-book by calling 01273 821 218.
For tickets for the Royal Pavilion Ice Rink, please visit: www.ticketmaster.co.uk, call: 0844 847 2352 or book in person at Ticketmaster ticket centres.
