Councillors back Brighton winter ice skating for six more years

Ice skating in Brighton’s Royal Pavilion Gardens has been confirmed for this winter, with planning permission being formally granted by the council’s planning committee recently.

Permission allows the rink to return to the eastern lawns of the Pavilion for the next six winters.  This year the rink organisers’ website says the attraction will be open from November 4 to January 14.

As well as the main rink, roughly 40m by 20m, permission also allows a beginners’ rink, restaurant, cafe, toilets, skate hire and associated plant and lighting.

This will be the eighth successive year the rink has been staged outside the Grade 1-listed Royal Pavilion.

Opening hours for skating allowed by the planning permission are 10am to 10.15pm. Up to 315 people are allowed on the rink at any one time. The café can be open from 10am to half past midnight.

Committee chair Cllr Julie Cattell said: “This has become a much-loved fixture in our winter calendar. One of the important functions of the planning authority is to enable economic activity. This attraction adds a seasonal sparkle to our winter months, helping bring in visitors and benefiting the local economy.”  

Information about the rink’s operation, tickets and more is available at its website.

Permission was granted at the council planning committee of Wednesday October 11 2017.

Photograph by Brighton Pictures.