Swindon ice rink to close for efficiency works

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Inside the ice rink at the Link Centre
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Works have been scheduled to take place over the summer

A popular Swindon ice rink is due to close temporarily so that "energy efficiency improvements" can be made, to help safeguard the venue's future.

Link Leisure Centre's rink will close on 15 May for 16 weeks while work costing more than £300,000 takes place.

The project will see a new "state-of-the-art" cooling system installed.

Utility bills for the leisure centre in Whitehill Way, Westlea, have risen by 100% since 2019, from £600,000 per year to £1.2m.

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Link Leisure Centre's ice rink will close on 15 May

The improvement works will see the ice pad lifted and a new cooling system installed.

Works have been scheduled to take place over the summer period because it falls outside the main ice hockey season and public bookings tend to be at their lowest then.

Partnership manager Barnaby Rich said: "While we recognise that the temporary closure will be an inconvenience for some of our customers, the improvements really are essential if we are to secure the long-term future of the facility.

"We look forward to welcoming our skaters back in the early autumn to a much-improved rink."

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