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2003
Living in a winter wonderland | |
|  | | Slip sliding away |
| | Stoke-on-Trent's Mayor, Mike Wolfe, is urging all the shoppers in Hanley to get their skates on - literally!
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View the Hanley Ice Rink gallery |
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| | One corner of the Potteries has been transformed into a winter wonderland as an open-air rink opens to the public.
Stoke's own seasonal outdoor real ice rink, which is situated in Old Hall Street in Hanley, will be open for the next six weeks until 15th January.
The skates are brand new, the ice is real and if there's a white Christmas the organisers say it will just add to the fun.
Brainchild
The rink is the brainchild of the city centre team - with added support from Stoke's elected mayor, Mike Wolfe.
It cost around £55,000 to build, but everyone is hoping that the rink will become a major attraction, bringing loads of visitors into the city centre.
There will also be round-the-clock security to ensure that it's kept in perfect condition (and undoubtedly to keep the late night wandering drunkards from having a quick skate!).
Opposition
The site in Old Hall Street had become controversial - it was a day time resting place for "undesirables" and the police moved them on earlier this year - making the space available for the benefit of city-goers.
To make sure it didn't go back to its former unpleasant use; it was screened off while the plans were made for the rink.
There was some opposition to the idea - from councillors and city dwellers - but the aim is for people to have some fun and for the city to make a bit of money too.
First day success
It was a perfect day for the opening on December 5th - a crisp clear sunny winter's day, just right for donning woolly hats, mittens and scarves and gliding around the ice and everyone who tried the rink agreed it was certainly fun.
Malcolm Hawksworth, the city centre manager, was so keen to make a good impression on his skates that he had some secret training sessions in the run up to the opening!
More information
There will be 10 public skating sessions throughout the day, each lasting one-hour.
An hours skating costs £5 for adults and £4 for children. A family ticket for 2 adults and 2 children or 1 adult and 3 children is £16. All prices include skate hire.
The rink is open every day except Christmas day and New Year's day.
Advance booking - skating tickets can be purchased from TicketWeb online at www.ticketweb.co.uk or over the phone by calling 0871 2302639. | | | |
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Hanley
Stoke-on-Trent
Staffordshire
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