News
SilverBaldes take delivery of first pack of Polar Bears
Silverblades ice rink take delivery of 20 Polar Bear Skate Stabillity Aids for their Gillingham & Altrincham ice arenas.
BBC's A Question of Sport - Chrsitmas Special 2011
BBC Choose WH Leisure to provide "ice" for their Christmas special after producers extensive tests proved their surface most suitable. Sue Barker hosted the Christmas edition of the light-hearted sports quiz, with regular captains Matt Dawson and Phil Tufnell. Joining them were TV presenters Jake Humphrey and Tim Lovejoy, comedian Patrick Kielty and impressionist Alistair McGowan.
Squires Cafe Bar
After a personal recomendation the owners of Squires approched WH Leisure Limited with an idea they had to transform part of their function room in to an ice rink. After an initial site vist it was clear that real ice was not a option, Synthetic ice offered itself to there requirements. They then researched the market and visited many sites accross the counry and were possible asking the owners about the rink they owned and the companies that had installed it. After negotiations a design was chosen and a new barrier system manufactured.
Daughters inspire their father to build Newton Aycliffe leisure complex
A father who was frustrated by a lack of facilities for his daughters has opened a leisure complex for families in the same predicament.
Darren Peckitt and his wife, Andrea, 38, built Planet Leisure, on Aycliffe Business Park, Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, after being inspired by their ten-year-old twins, Niamh and Annabel.Incredibly, the 41-year-old engineer managed to hold down a fulltime job at Cummins engineering, in his home town of Darlington, during the 20-month, £1.5m project.
“It’s been a struggle, but it has been worth it,” he said. “I haven’t had a day off for about four months and I’m having to do 18-hour days, but we’re almost there and ready to hand over to the management team and start taking things a little bit easier.”
The 32,000sq ft complex, in Maple Way, features a 4,000sq ft synthetic ice rink, a 12-lane bowling alley, obstacle course, laser arena and licensed restaurants among the attractions.Mr Peckitt said because the leisure complex was built on a business park, it has lower overheads than centres built on retail parks and he is keen to pass on those savings to his customers.It is the second time the couple have set up a business to cater for their family’s needs – they also run the nearby Ruff n Tumble soft play centre.However, Mr Peckitt said despite being the envy of their school friends with access to facilities most children could only dream of, his daughters possess a more practical attitude.Mr Peckitt said: “I’m very grounded, so they have to be and they have been helping out where they can, and will probably help out even more in years to come.“And it’s not as if we have been able to just open this big facility overnight."There have been a lot of times when I have been away from the family and there have been a lot of sacrifices and I’m looking forward to things settling down.”Planet Leisure is open from 10am to midnight Monday to Thursday, 10am to 1am Friday and Saturday, and 10am to 11.30pm on Sundays.
Hebburn mum to create very own ice rink
Watching Dancing on Ice gave a Tyneside mum a cool idea – to build her own rink.
Now, after an eight-month planning battle Yvonne MacPherson is making her dream a reality.With a business partner, the 48-year-old is ploughing savings and loans into creating one of the region’s first synthetic rinks.And she has a race against the clock to transform an empty warehouse behind Coxon Terrace, Felling, Gateshead, ready to open next month.“I’ve really excited but absolutely terrified at the same time because there is so much involved,” said Yvonne, from Hebburn, South Tyneside.“Since Dancing on Ice was on the television, interest in ice skating has really gone up and demand for rinks has soared.”The divorced mum-of-three boys used to manage Atlantic Antics, a children’s activity centre in Jarrow, so had experience running a business but she’s never had her own. “It’s a leap of faith but I’m confident it will be a success because there is a definite demand,” she said.As a child, Yvonne used to get two buses to ice skate at Whitley Bay and says her sons, Callum, 16, Connor, 18, and Liam, 20, had to do the same.With the help of an army of friend volunteers she is gutting the warehouse, patching up the tin roof, making the building soundproof, giving it a lick of paint inside and out, installing ventilation, seating and toilets as well as a 30 metre by 12 metre rink to cater for 60 skaters at any one time.
The rink, made of polyethylene, is suitable for normal metal blades.She has chosen synthetic over real ice to keep installation and maintenance costs down but was forced to put the whole idea on ice when her application for planning permission, put in last December, was knocked back by Gateshead Council.She said: “They thought it was going to be too noisy and that loads of kids would hang around outside. But that won’t be an issue because it’s for families. “I appealed and got a report on noise levels which I submitted to the council.“I’m also going to install sound proofing and special equipment to keep noise levels down.”Yvonne won her appeal and has been given temporary permission for two years to see how the venture goes.
A website is being created with details about the rink, which will be called Sk8ers. When it’s ready people can check out details about the new attraction at: www.sk8ers.co.uk
Eskimo Joes Skate & Play
Rumble in the jungle owner Clare Miles is opening a second indoor play centre.
Eskimo Joe's skate & play in Gelli, in the Rhondda Vally in mid August. The Tonypandy based entrepreneur took on the lease for the 5000 square foot former Monster Madness premises in the village, just 10 a minute drive from Rumble in the Jungle, at the end of June. Miles said: " We have pretty much gutted the site and rewired it and put in a new fire alarm system. We do not have a lot of space but we are being clever with it."
A high play frame, designed for the space by SPI Play, will run along the snow and ice theme and will feature a sprial slide,aerail glide, rollers and mini trampolines. A dedicated toddler area will also offer light and sound display panels.
The rink is being put in by specialist firm WH Leisure. "I saw a synthetic rink at Leisure Industry Week last year and the idea has been at the back of my mind ever since." said Miles. "after talking to the owners of Monster Madness, I realised that the site was too close to Rumble in the Jungle, I needed to do something different so that the two businesses would not be competing with each other. I thought of the ice rink and the name Eskimo Joe's just came after that."
Real ice
Sound & Lighting
With over 20 years of experience we can add the finishing touches to make your ice rink look and sound fantastic. We try our best to avoid the mass produced Chinese products and instead wherever possible use British made equipment, this mindset means the quaillity of our installations are second to none.
Testimonials
