Thousands get their skates on to make a festive success

9:55am Saturday 29th December 2012 in News

THE town centre ice rink looks poised for a return in 2013 after this year’s Christmas events were hailed a huge success.

A total of 5,500 people have used the Victoria Square rink since it was launched at the start of December.

And children from 35 Bolton schools were also taught to skate there.

The rink is part of Bolton’s Winter Wonderland festive events, which also feature a Christmas market, entertainment and Santa’s grotto, and has been complimented by free town centre parking at weekends and after 3pm on weekdays.

The rink is operated by Ice Aid, which has been running outdoor ice rinks since 2000 in areas including Leeds, Bournemouth, London and Dublin.

Ice Aid owner Tony Boynton said: “It’s been a huge success and the crowds are certainly enjoying it. It was meant to bring people into the town centre and I think it has done. New York has got the Rockefeller Centre and we’ve got Bolton Town Hall.

“Staff are having a great time and said everyone has been really friendly.

“We’ve been doing this in Leeds for 12 years and are going back for a 13th, we’ve got a lot of experience with councils and if Bolton wants us back we’d certainly come.”

Town Hall chiefs are keen to see the rink return.

Leader of Bolton Council Cliff Morris said: “The ice rink has been a hugely popular attraction for people to the town centre and we’re absolutely thrilled with its success.

“We’ve had some great feedback from the thousands of people that have used it and due to its popularity we’ve even held extra skating sessions at the weekend. We’re already looking ahead to 2013 and we will be looking to arrange an ice rink again.”

Cllr Morris has also revealed plans are in place to make next year’s festive fun even more spectacular. He said: “The additional attractions of the free parking, free entertainment and Santa’s grotto have also helped to attract more shoppers to town.

“Our retailers have reported good sales figures which we’re absolutely delighted about.

“We will also be looking at how we can make our festive programme even better.”

Comments(6)

elimeleumas says...
10:42am Sun 30 Dec 12

I'm delighted the ice rink has proved to be so successful especially as it has been enjoyed by so many school children in the run up to Christmas. I have the Nevada to thank for a chance meeting between my Mum and Dad - but for that I probably wouldn't be here! I'd like to make a couple of comments about the market though. On the 3 weekday afternoons I visited Victoria Square there was only one day when all of the traders had opened up their stalls. Even then I was struck by how quiet it seemed. On the two other occasions I visited, the first time there was only one trader left at 2pm (the chocolate fudge seller), he put it down to it being a very wet afternoon. On another occasion (a Tuesday lunch time), none of the traders were there - just a line of school children making their way to the ice rink. I think the market could be improved: in my opinion it didn't look festive enough, the sheds were, well, 'sheds', the traders seemed unhappy when they were there (probably because it was so quiet), and the location of one of the sheds on the North side of the square blocked the straight line through to the other side, in other words it wasn't very enticing. I think the Bolton Christmas market felt like the poor relation to the food & drink festival, a hard act to follow I know, but if a job's worth doing it ought to be done well.

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Dj_trouble says...
11:06am Sun 30 Dec 12

I have to say as someone who works in the town centre this years so called Christmas market as been the worst yet. Last year was buzzing with all the regulars who usually attend the boton food festival but this years was a major let down with silly opening times. I can't see how the ice rink as been cost effective and believe its return next year would be a big mistake unless the time and effort was put into making sure the Christmas market stands up to previous years.

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elimeleumas says...
11:38am Sun 30 Dec 12

Dj_trouble wrote:
I have to say as someone who works in the town centre this years so called Christmas market as been the worst yet. Last year was buzzing with all the regulars who usually attend the boton food festival but this years was a major let down with silly opening times. I can't see how the ice rink as been cost effective and believe its return next year would be a big mistake unless the time and effort was put into making sure the Christmas market stands up to previous years.
I think the challenge is maintaining interest in a prolonged Christmas market when you don't have the kind of visitor numbers you get in Manchester. I help build the Newcastle city centre Christmas market which only lasts for 5 days at the beginning of December but attracts over 80,000 visitors. You can watch a video of the event here: http://youtu.be/EiLR
PgZJPh8
By the way, we are a Bolton company and we build Newcastle council's Christmas market ...

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oftbewildered2 says...
11:50am Sun 30 Dec 12

I still cannot work out why Santa's Grotto had to occupy space in the canopy - was this more a case of making sure charity stallls did not 'spoil the image'? If so, then shame.

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elimeleumas says...
11:59am Sun 30 Dec 12

oftbewildered2 wrote:
I still cannot work out why Santa's Grotto had to occupy space in the canopy - was this more a case of making sure charity stallls did not 'spoil the image'? If so, then shame.
A very good point! I'm sure this wasn't intentional but as the canopy has recently been in the news and the following the council's decision to reverse their decision about it's use it would have been a fantastic opportunity to showcase some of the great charities in Bolton at Christmas time! Peace, Goodwill and all that ....

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abbott71 says...
5:02pm Sun 30 Dec 12

I have to say i have nt been in Bolton town centre for the last 3 yrs, and that was after I d seen ho bad it had gone, its was full of cheap shops and smelt of urnine in parts and every time I had been in the same piece of block paving was being replaced, this council are giving free car parking and other "carrots" too late. I used to ensure I spent money in Bolton ,but with ludcirous car parking charges and the thought of the little Moped brigade getting you,I now just get on the train and go to manchester or drive to the middlebrook. I m sure some people enjoy going into Bolton this is purely my opinion. The council need to decide what they are going to do, continue to waste money and not support the local shops or do something about it.....bury is heaving??? I wonder why...........

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