Winter sports in Basingstoke put on ice as rink set to close for a year

Campaigners told ITV Meridian's Harry Acton that a temporary rink is desperately needed.

Campaigners in Basingstoke say the upcoming closure of the town's ice rink will suppress sporting talent.

Planet Ice will close in just a few weeks for a year-long refurbishment.Teams who use the facility are now calling for a temporary site to be created, so that players can continue to train in the town.

Ice Hockey is just one of the many sports played there.

Basingstoke's Ice Rink has fostered sporting talent since it opened in 1988, with some athletes going on to represent Great Britain.

It's due to close for refurbishment leaving teams with nowhere local to train, and they fear the success built here could be lost for good.

"Some may not come back and a lot of these players are playing GB, they're playing England, so it could really impact them quite heavily," said Stewart Tempest, Chairman of Basingstoke Junior Bison Ice Hockey Club.

"There's been ice hockey in this town in this rink for 36 years and now there isn't."

"If they get through to next June and they don't actually know when it's going to open, that's two years gone, that will end it in this town, ice hockey will finish in this town."

Both the Ice Hockey and Synchronised Skating teams have backed calls for the council to set up a temporary rink so that training can continue.

The uncertainty is a blow for both who have only just recovered from the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"A temporary rink will be the best solution for us," said Clare James from the Basingstoke Synchronised Skating Club. "It means we can keep all of the teams together and we can keep growing as a club."

"Where we are now if the best that we've been since COVID."

Professional figure skater, Ava Mae Wilson, has trained in the town for 13 years. Now, she's worried about where she will practice.

"I've been training here since I was three years old. It's been my second home."

"I live so close to here, it's so easy to get to here, I could walk here. Something would be missing."

The next closest rinks can be found in Gosport, Swindon or Guildford, all around an hour away, and parents worry about the impact on their children.

"We need somewhere for people to go. This is a unique facility and when this closes there is nowhere for people to go locally and that's the issue," said Kempshott and Buckskin Councillor Sean Dillow.

Basingstoke and Deane Council said it hasn't ruled out putting a temporary rink in place whilst repairs are made to the existing building.

Co-Leader Cllr Gavin James said, “The ice rink is privately owned and run and is not a council facility. We have been working hard, as the freehold owner of the land the ice rink sits on, to encourage the owners to start a programme of repairs that will bring the ice rink back to a good standard and ensure its future."

"These negotiations have been making good progress, legal documents are being finalised and we hope this will now move forward as quickly as possible."

“There was a request from councillors to investigate the possibility of supporting a temporary rink during the period that the rink is closed for repairs."

“There would be costs and implications around doing this that we would need to consider carefully, including the cost, issues around supporting a private company with public money and the impact on our services of doing that. I am keen to listen to the committee’s further thoughts and views.”

A report is being considered with an update due next month.

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