With just over two months until the annual attraction would normally open, the manager of Fort Regent told the JEP that no arrangements were currently in place for an operator to take up the mantle of Ice Skate Jersey.
Centre manager Jo Mousdale said: ‘It doesn’t look likely that we will have a rink this year. We haven’t given up and are speaking to other parties about it, but nothing’s confirmed and it’s quite late in the year.’
Keith Halstead, of Ice Skate Jersey, operated the rink at the Fort annually from 2010 to 2018, with the exception of 2016, when it was cancelled after a second rink was opened on the Weighbridge. He told the JEP that he was stepping away for health reasons and that it was unfortunate that there may be no rink for the 2019 festive season.
‘It will be disappointing if no one takes it up,’ he said. ‘I would hope that it may still open, but I wouldn’t put a bet on it.’
Mr Halstead said that the cost of setting up the attraction was ‘well in excess of £100,000’, with equipment needing to be imported from Europe, and that this was one of the biggest challenges for any operator.
‘Unfortunately it’s a lot easier to put a rink on a flat surface somewhere else, as you need to protect the floor at the Fort and that’s expensive,’ Mr Halstead added.
‘I’d say it was theoretically possible to still have the event this year, but there isn’t much time.’
The JEP has asked for a comment from the government’s press office.
