Do I have to book?
It is necessary to book in advance before your session. We can only taking online bookings through SimplyBook and cannot reserve you a space via phone or social media. This is to control our capacity and ensure we can appropriately prepare for how many skaters we should expect. Walk-ins cannot be guaranteed a space.
When are we open?
Our timetable can he found here. Sessions are subject to private parties and hockey matches. Please note you need to book to be guaranteed a space.
How much does it cost?
Our lessons vary, but our public sessions are £4.50 admission and £2.50 extra if you require some hire skates. Our ice discos are £5 admission including skate hire. Penguins and polar bears are an extra £5.
How do I get there?
Follow the leisure centre/auditorium building all the way to the back, and you should see the yellow fencing around our snow pit. The doors are right next to that!
Can I bring my own food and drink?
You are welcome to bring your own food and drink. We do ask that you refrain from bringing any sticky foods such as popcorn or rainbow drops. We also have a tuck shop with snacks and both hot & cold drinks.
Can I private hire the ice rink?
You can! We offer group bookings for larger families or smaller parties, and private hire for many different kinds of events. Our private hire and parties are extremely popular, meaning we are usually fully booked for up to 6 months, especially during hockey season. We also require a deposit 2 weeks before the hire at the absolute latest, but we do ask that you send the deposit much earlier. Please email anna@grimsbyicerink.com to arrange your session/party.
Do you offer skate sharpening?
Unfortunately, this isn’t something we can offer at this time. The skate hire desk will be able to provide a phone number for someone who does local to Grimsby, about 5 minutes away from the rink.
Where can I park?
We have a huge car park right outside our front entrance, and its completely free!
Can I bring my dog?
We only allow guide-dogs inside the building.
What do I do if I have left my belongings at the rink?
We hold all lost property found for up to 30 days. Please get in touch and find out if we still have your things!
What is your size/capacity?
Our rink is 36.5m long and 18m wide. The surface area is 657m². Our current capacity is 80 skaters per session.
Bookings:
I cant book for my session.
Our booking system cuts off 2 hours before the session is due to start. If it’s before 2 hours before the start of the session and you can’t book at a certain time it could also mean that this session is full, or privately hired out. If you want to make sure or check availability, give us a call at 01472 476029 during timetabled hours and we can let you know.
If you are booking for a group of more than 8 people, please email anna@grimsbyicerink.com.
Do I need to print my invoice? What do you need from me when I come in?
Nope! All you need to do if give our staff the name you have booked under, and we can check if we have a booking under that name.
Add-On’s (skate hire & skate aids)
Whilst creating ad-ons, you can only select them for all skaters you are currently booking for. If one skater has their own ice-skates, you will need to create a separate booking for them to accommodate this. If half of your group needs a polar bear, you will also need to split your booking into two.
Refunds and cancellations
Sorry things didn’t go as planned, for all refunds please contact anna@grimsbyicerink.com. A small cancellation fee is taken from the refund to cover the cost of doing this. For example, a £14.00 booking would be refunded at £13.60. If you have cancelled your own booking, we must still handle the refunds manually.
The money has left my bank but I have an email that says my skating session is cancelled!
This is usually a technical glitch. It just means that the system refreshed midway through your booking and created another session. If in doubt, feel free to call the rink to double check that you are still booked.
Can I move my booking?
You are now able to move your own booking through our booking site before your session begins. We are happy to move any bookings you have with us and there isn’t a limit to how many times we are able to move the booking. However, we cannot move a booking for a session which has already ended.
Does selecting a coach mean they’ll assist me on the ice/Can I book a coach online?
Selecting a coach on our booking system doesn’t mean you will be booking in for a lesson, you need to get in touch with the coach personally and organize it with them before booking onto our sessions. Their contact information is available on our booking site if you click “read more” under their pictures.
Coming Skating:
Can ice skating be dangerous?
We do our best to make this a safe and memorable experience for all and have all of the necessary safety measures in place, however there is always a risk of falling or being bumped into. Rest assured though that we always have a trained first-aider at hand just in case!
Can my child attend this session?
As long as your child can walk confidently, they are allowed on our ice. Children are welcome to any of our public or family disco sessions. Under 13’s must be accompanied by an adult in the building. Our Saturday night disco is reserved for 13+ or competent skaters as skate aids are not allowed on this session.
What is the size range for ice skates?
Our smallest size is an infant 4, and our largest is a size 15. However, all sizes are subject to availability and we cannot guarantee either hockey or figure skates.
What should I wear?
We recommend wearing long trousers and a long-sleeved top. You may choose to wear a helmet if desired, if you don’t have your own, we have some you are welcome to borrow. Socks must always be worn.
What time should I arrive to my session?
We ask that you do not enter the building anymore than 15 minutes before your session so that our staff have a chance to complete any ice maintenance, preparations, and to clean up from the previous session.
What equipment do you have to help me skate?
We have penguins and polar bears (skate aids in two sizes) that youngsters and hold on to and push around to help them get around the ice. They are subject to availability and will vary depending on the skater’s height. Both can be hired for £5 each.
What types of ice skates do you offer?
We offer both figure skates and hockey skates, but these are subject to availability. We do not currently have any double-bladed ice skates, and speed skates are not allowed on our ice pad due to the size.
Do you allow wheelchairs on the ice?
Due to the speed and subsequent breaking speed of electric wheelchairs, we can only allow manual wheelchairs on our ice at this time. There may be a slight step down onto our ice, but our staff will always be happy to assist you. Please be aware that we currently have no disabled facilities in the ice rink, but our neighbours at the leisure centre do and are happy for you to use them!
Do you have lockers?
Our lockers are £1 each, or £2 if you would like to charge your phone. Both options are non-refundable.
Can I wear shoes on the ice?
The use of shoes on all* of our sessions is strictly prohibited. Our ice skates are sharp, and the ice is incredibly slippery. Anyone venturing onto our ice pad must be wearing ice skates.
*Suitable footwear with a rubber sole and good grip may be worn by parents on our ages 0-5 lessons, Skate Tots. Canvas shoes, trainers, pumps, UGG style boots and heels are not allowed.
What if I get hurt?
There will always be at least one first aider on shift. We may require you to fill out an accident form.
Can I book an Artistic/Patch Ice session?
This session is for our figure skaters. You need to be working on Skate UK level Bronze to qualify for this session.
Any tips for ice skating?
Skating can be extremely tricky at first, but here are a few pointers to get you feeling confident.
- Don’t look down!
- Keep your knees bent
- Don’t lean too far to one side
- Try and learn how to stop! And no, we don’t mean crashing into the barrier! Bend your knees, turn your toes in and heels out (so your feet are in the shape of a slice of pizza), and push your feet outwards. Don’t use your toe picks (spiky bits on the front of figure skates) as they are not for braking.