Ice rink rescue petition draws 2,700 names

By The Post | Thursday, January 12, 2012, 07:00

A petition set up on Friday to save Bristol's 45-year-old ice rink has already attracted more than 2,700 supporters.

Young skaters Patrycja Szymanska, 13, and Karolina Szymanska, 11
Dereck Cutler travelled from Taunton to meet friends at the rink
Anna Harris, Zak Shearman and Ciara Rae, all seven, are upset about the closure of the ice rink Pictures: Jon Kent

Student housing firm Unite wants to turn the Frogmore Street building into flats, leaving Swindon as the closest alternative rink for skaters.

But the rink that played a vital role in putting Olympic gold medallist Robin Cousins on the road to success will be sorely missed by the current generation of young skaters who enjoy sessions on the ice – as well as their parents.

Although many users are from Bristol, there were also families who had travelled miles with their children for a day out.

Dereck Cutler, 42, from Taunton, whose sister Donna used to train with Mr Cousins at the Frogmore Street rink, said: "It's a real shame it's closing. It wouldn't be a problem if it was replaced with another one.

"We enjoy coming up here. The nearest alternative for me would be in Plymouth."

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Comments

http://tinyurl.com/6nte7lk
3,500 have you signed yet

By starmissy at 10:11 on 17/01/12
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http://tinyurl.com/6nte7lk
there is now 3,265 and counting help sign save the ice rink

By starmissy at 11:03 on 14/01/12
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http://tinyurl.com/6nte7lk
come on people of bristol and that sign sign sign

By starmissy at 09:29 on 10/01/12
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@KNIGEL

As far as i can tell it has nothing to do with the business itself but the property owner Unite refusing to extend the lease to John Nike Leisure as they want to develop the building into yet more student hutches. The ice rink could be crammed full of skaters from open to close, it wouldn't matter

By Bristol1978 at 23:43 on 09/01/12
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If these 1,200 people had regularly skated there, maybe closure wouldn't be on the agenda??

By KNIGEL at 22:38 on 09/01/12
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