Ice rink proves a cool event for council after making £56k

Ice rink proves a cool event for council after making £56k

A record 40,000 skaters took to the ice at the open air Tunbridge Wells rink over the Christmas period and generated £56,000 for the borough council.

The local authority is now looking to award a new tender for the popular attraction which has become a festive fixture in Calverley Grounds over seven years.

Figures were revealed by the borough council in a Cabinet meeting on Thursday [June 21].

Cllr Tracy Moore, Cabinet Member for Civic Development, said: ‘We had very good value from the ice rink, it demonstrates the popularity of the attraction.

‘This is making Tunbridge Wells a destination town and I think that teenagers, especially, will be very pleased we are continuing with it.’

Council Leader David Jukes added: ‘I think it is terrific.

‘There would be a riot if we stopped it. And, it is making money.’

The figures were announced as part of the borough council’s Revenue Management Report: Quarter 4.

These also showed the ‘Civic Development Reserve’, received £316,000 in the past year.

This will go towards funding the Calverley Square and theatre project.

This comprised £96,000 in savings following the council’s restructure programme and £220,000 from overall budget saving achieved this year.

Overall, the council recorded a significant underspend with £9.4million made in ‘receipts’ going into reserves and £4.6million paid out of reserves.

Cllr Jukes added: ‘Congratulations to all on this excellent report and an excellent year.’

Share this article

Recommended articles

Search

Please enter a search term below.

Subscribe To Our Newsletter