Rising energy costs causes Border Ice Rink to transform to roller rink for summer months

The Border Ice Rink has been transformed into a roller rink to tackle soaring energy bills.

The facility previously closed in the ice hockey off-season from March to October, but has remained open three days a week over the summer.

Utility bills have more than doubled for the 60-year-old premises, leaving the club concerned for it’s future.

The roller skating sessions will run until September and have proved to be popular with the local community.

There has been a different use found for the Border Ice Rink in summer months. Credit: ITV

As the only ice rink in the Scottish Borders, the facility is home to almost 400 curlers and 90 skaters in winter months.

Lucy Tile, Chair of Border Ice Rink, said: “Our electricity prices annually are going to be going up from £40,000 to £80,000 a year.

“Our gas prices are going to be going up from £9,000 to £18,000 a year so that’s a doubling of our costs, just on utilities.

“So we have got to do everything we can to get people in here and use the facility.

“I’m not saying the roller skating is the answer to everything here, we’ve still got a huge amount of expenditure going out.

The Border Ice Rink is well loved by the local community. Credit: ITV

“What we are trying to do, is do as much as possible to keep us open.”

Earlier this year the club also introduced ice hockey training sessions and skating discos to raise more funds.

Since opening in 1964, the Border Ice Rink has produced many international skaters and curlers – including David Melrose of the silver medal-winning GB wheelchair curling team.

Laura Nisbet an office manager for Border Ice Rink explains how her passion for roller skating brought the idea to life.  

Laura said: “As a teenager I loved to roller skate and working here I thought, why aren’t we open in the summer?

"So, I pitched it and said, can I do that?

"We ran a session and we had over 60 people that included adults and children with their own skates. So we went back to the board and they said yes you can do this and two weeks later we opened."

There have been discos held at the Ice Rink. Credit: ITV

In a move to become more energy efficient, last year the club’s committee secured a grant of £75,000 from the Fallago Environment Fund to replace outdated refrigeration equipment.

The premises’ current ice plant, which was last replaced in the 1980s, has had a series of faults in recent years.

Nearly 30 curling clubs use the Borders Ice Rink for practice and as a tournament venue.

The ice rink will return in October for the use of ice skaters and curlers across the region. 

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