Brighton ice-skating

Over the last few decades, particularly since the Queen Square pocket rink closed, Brighton ice-skating enthusiasts have campaigned tirelessly for a new state-of-the-art rink.

The latest Council response can be found in the report "Ice Rink - Potential Provision in Brighton and Hove" to be presented to the Economic and Development & Culture Committee on 16th June. Agenda Item 8.

Unfortunately the campaigners are unlikely to be much encouraged by this report. The lack of funds and lack of a suitable site are cited and the ball is kicked further down the road by the promise of a "soft-marketing testing exercise".

(The exercise is unlikely to result immediately in an order for goods and services: more likely is that the outcome of the exercise will enable the purchasing business to refine its requirements and approach to market in order to then invite businesses to quote. Wiki)

The Panari Sky Centre, Nairobi

Nairobi has managed to acquire a skating facility, under much more unfavourable conditions than Brighton, by  the incorporation of a solar-powered rink into the basement of a large entertainments/shopping complex. A development not unlike  the massive southward extension of Churchill Square now being planned by Standard Life Investments. A location which would lend itself beautifully to the use of solar-panels.

Money would remain a problem unless we could ask Kenya to return a few millions of the £595M we sent them this year.