U-turn on the Fort Regent ice rink...again

Monday 07 November 2016

The rink at Fort Regent has been put back on ice, after a States report decided it was likely to lose tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money.

Just a few weeks ago, it looked like the States were going to step in and support the venture, following an appeal from organisers to the Chief Minister. They were unhappy that a rival ice rink was being run at the Weighbridge, and supported by the States-owned Jersey Development Company.

However, it's now been announced that States support for the Fort Regent rink has been shelved. 

Assistant Minister, Deputy Murray Norton said:

“Following detailed work by officers from Economic Development, Tourism, Sport and Culture, it has been determined that a second ice rink at Fort Regent would run at a considerable cost to the taxpayer and does not represent a prudent use of public funds.

"As a consequence Ministers have decided that the ice rink at Fort Regent will no longer go ahead.

“The department analysed the actual costs compared to the costs incurred in 2015 by Ice Skate Jersey. These costs were then set against significant reduced income from skaters as a result of the ice rink at the Weighbridge.

“I realise people will be disappointed at this news but I am grateful to EDTSC officials and our partners including Ice Skate Jersey and Sure for their hard work in trying to make this happen, however once we received the actual costs and the cost to the taxpayer became clear, we were left with no option other to make the decision not to proceed."

The Head of Marketing at Sure, Louise Burrows said: “We are hugely disappointed that the decision’s been made not to go ahead after all. We were fully committed to supporting the event but understand the reasons why, sadly, it can’t go ahead.’’