Just in time for the start of the festive season, a brand-new all-weather ice rink is opening at Cotswold Water Park — promising 'pure, unadulterated fun' for skaters of all ages and abilities.
Open from Friday 18 November 2022 to Tuesday 3 January 2023, The Gateway Ice Rink is launching at the Gateway Centre, which is home to Relish's Gateway Café and Information Centre, as well as Bar @ Lake 6.
Not only will it be Gloucestershire's biggest all-weather ice rink yet, with capacity for over 100 skaters at a time, it's one of the first in the whole country to offer special sensory skating sessions
Hoping to make ice skating as accessible and inclusive as possible, sensory skating sessions will operate with reduced lighting, no music and 50 per cent less skaters on the ice — taking place every Monday until the ice rink closes in the new year.
The rink will offer full wheelchair access, too, and anyone who requires a chaperone will be able to bring them along at no additional charge.
Keeping skaters' stomachs full, the choice of food on-site includes wood-fired pizzas from Pizzeria 720; hog roast rolls and seasonal pies from The Gateway's pop-up shack, plus its usual all-day breakfast, brunch and lunch specials; as well as sweet treats like waffles, crêpes and doughnuts — not to mention open-fire marshmallow toasting, too.
Skaters can also enjoy festive favourites like mulled wine and spiced cider at Bar @ Lake 6, which will regularly play host to DJs in the evenings and even show some of the World Cup on the big screen.
Rob Goves, director Relish, which runs The Gateway Café, said: 'The idea of hosting an ice rink at The Gateway has been fizzing in our minds for the past few years, and I’m thrilled the project is finally coming to fruition.
'It’s great to be working alongside industry experts, with whom we have great relationships from our event catering division, to create a magical and memorable experience this festive season.'
The Gateway Ice Rink will be open from Friday 18 November 2022 to Tuesday 3 January 2023, with skating sessions running every day aside from Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
To book tickets, visit gatewayicerink.co.uk.
