Curling rink in Kent faces closure despite Winter Olympics success for the sport

  • Video report by ITV Meridian reporter Tom Savvides


A curling rink in Kent is set to close at the end of this month leaving athletes without a training base.

Many players from Kent, Essex and Sussex will have to travel hundreds of miles to compete.

Fenton's near Tunbridge Wells is one of only two dedicated curling rinks in England, so coaches are now desperately looking for new premises.

President of the South of England Curling Club, Owen Rees, says: "All the time, we're getting people's inquiries about booking and coming to have a try. We're also having to say that actually at the end of March, the rink won't be open to the public anymore and that it will be closing down."

When the rink closes at the end of the month, players will have to travel to Preston or Scotland.

Curling has become increasingly popular over the past few years. Some take it extremely seriously, but for others, it's just a bit of fun.

In 2014, the rink received a welcome boost, following the Olympic success of the curling teams in Sochi.

Team GB's only gold medal at the Winter Olympics was won in women's curling, bringing the sport into the spotlight.