An ice rink has been secured as part of Edinburgh’s Christmas attractions for 2011 after negotiations led by The City of Edinburgh Council.
The rink is to be delivered, built and managed by M&D Leisure, who are already contracted by the Council to provide the Edinburgh Wheel, Flying Carousel, Helter Skelter and Traditional Carousel in East Princes Street Gardens.
The deal was struck just days before the full programme of Edinburgh’s Christmas is due to be announced. This year’s event will be boosted by a host of special events on Princes Street. Details will be unveiled tomorrow, 8 November.
Councillor Steve Cardownie, Festivals and Events Champion for the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations really light up the city during the festive season, drawing many thousands of people to enjoy the attractions and shop in the city centre.
“It was touch and go whether there would be an ice rink included in this year’s programme – I’m pleased that we’ve managed to reach an agreement that will allow it to go ahead and we are grateful to Essential Edinburgh and other private sector contributors for their support. I know this news will be warmly welcomed not just by skaters, spectators and traders, but also by retailers and businesses in the surrounding area.”
Nickie Gott, Managing Director of She’s Gott It!, said: “The ice rink has been central to Edinburgh’s Christmas celebrations for over a decade and it is great news that we have been able to continue to delight visitors and the people of Edinburgh. We have so much planned for the Christmas programme this year and this news is the icing on the cake. There has been a lot of hard work and negotiations behind the scenes and so many people have been working really hard to make this happen so I am thrilled we now have an ice rink to bring extra sparkle and magic to Edinburgh’s Christmas.“
Douglas Taylor, managing director of M&D Leisure, said: “After many years of working with the City of Edinburgh Council, M&D Leisure is excited to be delivering an even bigger and better part of Edinburgh’s Christmas experience.”
The inclusion of an ice rink in Edinburgh’s Christmas 2011 was thrown into doubt when it became clear that the option for last year’s provider to deliver it again this year was not financially viable.
Photo courtesy of Edinburgh’s Inspiring Capital
