Bristol Ice Rink...Here I Slip....
Recommendation added: 17/04/2006 20:53
By: angiebaby (YSUK rating +20)angiebaby has been thanked 16 times for this contribution
"Having gone to this ice rink a few weeks back, I thought that I would write a review on this ice rink, and then on one in which I found better quality beforehand. I will explain the pros and cons of this ice skating rink and give you rough prices.
From the outside, the ice rink just looks like a car park, and the only way you could tell it was an ice rink is from the sign saying Bristol ice rink. So up two flights we all climbed and we got to the ice rink floor. This part started to look like an ice rink opening because there were notice boards with ice skating competitions, photos and ice hockey photos. I even thought that there were a few medals and trophies in a cabinet.
Then we have the entrance, which seems a little plain. But there was the ticket office where you pay to get in and that's where you pay for the skate hire as well. You then take your ticket through the doors, and you're suddenly in the ice rink. With all the seating around this ice rink, and you follow a pathway down to the skate hire booth down the one end of the ice rink. Here, you hand over your ticket, take off your shoes and ask for the right sized skates. They will then put your shoes away safely and you will get them back when you hand over the skates at the end of your session. In this room where you get your skates from, there are yellow benches and fun red plastic seats to sit down on and put your skates on. The red seats tell me that children will enjoy these more than adults. The skates given to you are blue with red string and aren't all that comfortable, so if you are a regular skater, I advise you bring your own skates. The decoration around the whole of the 'skate' room as I called it was pretty plain. Nothing really caught my eye.
So on go the skates and these aren't high quality skates, so thick socks must be worn and its time to start trying to walk on a blade. It's more like stomping to me to keep your balance. If you do bring any bags or anything, there are lockers in the 'skate' room which are token activated, available from reception for 50p. You then have either a key on its own – so don't lose it, or a few have safety pins on. Thing is though, is if you want money for a drink or a drink half way through, you won't get your token back. This seems to be a problem and I think it would work better if you could visit the locker half way through and not have to pay another 50p. It would also be better if you could get the 50p back at the end of it.
Now it's time to get onto the ice. This is always the most fun part as you have to gain your balance before you start skating. The ice on this rink is definitely slippier than the link centre at Swindon, which can be both a good a bad thing. It's good for going faster, but not so much if you can't balance properly or stop yourself. This ice rink is smaller than the link at Swindon as well. But either way, an ice rink is an ice rink. The music played while on the ice I found alright as well. Not totally up to date, but not really old. This was just a general skate we went to and I have found out that they do ice skate discos which sounds like a laugh to go to, so I might try this in future.
All in all, the ice skate was good, but not brilliant. In future, I will stick to the link centre, but Bristol ice rink I will rate a six out of ten. I didn't know where the toilets in here were either so I can't rate those I'm afraid. Either way, two hours skating really wears you out and is a good type of exercise… but I wouldn't recommend this ice rink first on your list of ice rinks.
Prices, more information and a few times.
The prices vary for the peek times and off peek times. The ice skating disco occurs on Saturday afternoons from 3.30-5 and for our two hours including skate hire it cost £5.70. We went on a Thursday afternoon when it wasn't packed, but it wasn't empty. I always find it easier to skate when it's almost empty. There's less chance of making a fool out of yourself in front of less people. There are times in which you can hire the ice rink for private use or private parties. For more information, go to this website where you can download the price guide. There are special discounts for groups, families and under fives.
http://www.jnll.co.uk/bristol.php
there are also full directions on this site of how to get there, but if you are on the train, get to the hippodrome, or there is a bus service straight outside the train station to the centre of Bristol, close to the hippodrome, follow the side road by the edge of the hippodrome and two buildings behind, you can spot the sign saying Bristol ice rink.
thanks for reading"
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