Temporary Ice Rink For Douglas

[Lost Login]

I think the problem with it is that there have been many calls for an ice rink over the years and many were looking forward to it and had certain expectations. I certainly had having seen them in Cardiff, Hampton Court and at Cribbs Causeway shopping centre in Bristol although I was realistic that it would be smaller etc etc over here due to the population and it being privarely funded.

 

What has arrived is very dissappointing and the way and where it has been set up is distintcly unappealing. The fact that it is synthetic and not real ice also makes it less enticing. Consequently I have heard many comments that from it being something they were looking forward to going to people will not now be going. I include my family in that number and I am sure that if it it had been a slightly better facility with real ice my daughter would have insisted we would have gone several times. This view is reinforced by those who I have spoken to who say they would not go again. This is partly due to the size but also they say that the synthetic ice is not that slippy so you quickly come to a stop.

 

I appreciate that it is financed out of somebodies back pocket and has put their own money at stake. For this I applaud them and their iniative. However they might have been slightly better off spending a bit more and having a more attractive facility that might have attracted more and repeat users. This might have been a success and led to it being an annual event.

 

What we have now is, and I appreciate it is a costly and risky event for the promoters, is a poor facility which is going to attract much fewer visitors. It will then be held up as an example of something that was put on but not a success and therefore a reason why future events will not be tried or that there is no call for an ice skating facility.

 

There is a phrase that if something is worth doing it is worth doing well or not at all. I feel that this is the case with the "ice" rink and they would have been better off waiting a year and trying to get government support etc etc and put in a better facility. Having done so it would be fair to say to the IoM populace "use it or loose it". I fear what we have now is a great idea badly executed and what will be quoted in the long term is not that poor execution was the problem but lack of public support. Consequently it may also deter others from trying something new.

 

I hope I am wrong and it is a success and in future years it comes back bigger and better but if it does not I think it is better to take comments and critisism on board rather than just describe it as "bitching" as they might assist in improving it next time or understanding why it did not meet expectations.

 

 

 

 

What is the matter with you people, this event is being financed locally out of someones back pocket (a manx person) , don't see any of your taking a risk with your own money. People just can't do right for doing wrong here on this Island. It was never advertised as a real ice rink, syntheric ice was the term used.

 

You want a real one, get the forum members to club together, £200k is around the price for six weeks hire, you will need around 28,000 people going through at £7.00 per head just to break even.

 

So stop your bitching and go back to moaning about wheelie bins and dog shit.

[When Skies Are Grey]

^^^^^ what he said.

 

Well put LL

[SANDA]

I take your comments onboard, but we went to the tourist board, who said great idea and good luck, they simply were not interested in helping to finance it. This is a trial rink to see how it went down with the general public, It is based on children and families, and we have had plenty of positive feedback and may consider bringing a bigger rink over, please look at the costs of real ice, it is not financially viable to risk spending 200k without any financial help from the government, perhaps someone on the forum could risk 200k for next christmas!!!

 

Thanks to the forum members who are backing us, at the end of the day its for children and families. it might be small, but the kids love it.

[Ripsaw]

In defence of Sandra (who for all we know could be involved with trying to do something positive for the Island). *{Edit: Cross Post, She is involved}

 

The kids loved it and so did many of the adults. Those who have not skated before will not be aware of the differences... it is slippy, you fall over, everyone laughs at you.

 

As one who has skated before, I was aware of the difference and most of the time was spent trying to unlearn the correct method and adapt to the lack of 'bite' and the lack of toe brakes. That said, I came away bruised and happy for the others who did leave sporting big grins.

 

The lack of toilets was a pain, many wouldn't think about the additional facilities until they needed them. You can not skate across the Villias gravel and over the crossing to the Bottleneck toilet block.

 

The ones I asked enjoyed the experience, so to them it was a success.

 

We grown ups, our children and friends have the ability to persuade the powers that be to provide a real Ice Rink. Good on the organisers of this temporary rink for giving it a go.

 

Yes there are short comings which will be inversely proportional to the capital risk, but when it's your money and you are testing the water with somethink untried there will be lessons learnt.

 

Based on the experience, I personally won't go again but I'm grateful for having the oppotunity to have the experience.

 

As above, the kids liked it and it was for them that the evening was organised.

[Ripsaw]

Oh and Sandra, smile a bit dear, and tell the teen male helper not to be distracted by the girls in the corner when he's on the 'ice' supervising

[slinkydevil]

I take your comments onboard, but we went to the tourist board, who said great idea and good luck, they simply were not interested in helping to finance it. This is a trial rink to see how it went down with the general public, It is based on children and families, and we have had plenty of positive feedback and may consider bringing a bigger rink over, please look at the costs of real ice, it is not financially viable to risk spending 200k without any financial help from the government, perhaps someone on the forum could risk 200k for next christmas!!!

 

Thanks to the forum members who are backing us, at the end of the day its for children and families. it might be small, but the kids love it.

 

Now if you'd approched it in a sensible manner like that to start with (being the organiser) you might have had a better response.

 

I applaud you for at least having a go and the Island needs more people like you to take initiative.

 

Personally I was dissapointed, but I am of the opinion that this should have had some government backing. I would like to see a bit back from my tax dollar. I understand you approached them, and they weren't interested.

 

We are in a difficult position in th IOM. Local authorities in the UK invest, as it attracts visitors see:

 

http://www.lelhires.co.uk/ice_rink_platform.html

 

but we don't have a visitor trade, so why should the IOM Government bother? Well for me it would be nice to keep the general populus happy, you know give them a bit of a bonus at Christmas. Mind you if it's goverment backed then it swings the other way and people complain about the waste of public money.

 

Well done for trying though - just not for me this time round. Like I said earlier in this thread, if it was slightly bigger I'd have had a go with a few mates. I just wonder how many people have not bothered for the same reason?

[Lost Login]

As somebody else said thanks for the sensible response. I do hope it is a success and the "trial" this year is succesful. Hopefully if it is you will also note from the comments on this board you will note that there would appear to be many more potential customers out there and you will have a better idea of any changes you could make to meet their expectations and part them from there money next year. That is if you want to make them and they are affordable & practacle

 

Currently the facility is not one that would me have rushing to try but it does not mean though that I would not be encouraged to do so in future years if what was available was nearer my expectations. Indeed I really wish that I was that will be the case as an idea it is a facility my family would love to use but unfortunately not as it presently stands. They may be the case of others and hence the comments due to their dissappointment. I would take that dissappointment as a positive sign as at least it means people appear to be interested and want a facility all be it in a different form. If there had been just been apathy then it might just have been a reflection of a lack of demand or interest in the first place.

 

 

 

I take your comments onboard, but we went to the tourist board, who said great idea and good luck, they simply were not interested in helping to finance it. This is a trial rink to see how it went down with the general public, It is based on children and families, and we have had plenty of positive feedback and may consider bringing a bigger rink over, please look at the costs of real ice, it is not financially viable to risk spending 200k without any financial help from the government, perhaps someone on the forum could risk 200k for next christmas!!!

 

Thanks to the forum members who are backing us, at the end of the day its for children and families. it might be small, but the kids love it.

[Ripsaw]

Sandra,

 

Could you PM me details of the methods used to approach the Dept. of Tourism and who you communicated with.

 

Thanks.

[thebees]

My daughter and all her mates are dying to have a go, fake ice or not, its the best we have. I might even have a go myself I really hope the venture is sucessful.

[Lonan3]

It seems as though its another case of the department forgetting that they're responsible for tourism and leisure.

[manxman8180]

In fairness it might have depended on when the approach was made.

 

After all, we like to remind our departments that they have a budget to stick to and that it is all 'our' money after all.

 

Maybe they were spent up for the year?

 

Or maybe they saw what the planned 'rink' was and felt the wave of public criticism would be too much? I'm guessing the DoTL may well have their guard up at the moment.

[The Godfather of Manx House]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but you are saying, at an average of say £ 5 a go, you need FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE to "have a go" to break even.

 

That is either total bullshit or you need to shoot whoever advises you financially...

 

...GOMH*...

[Ripsaw]

Correct me if I'm wrong here but you are saying, at an average of say £ 5 a go, you need FORTY THOUSAND PEOPLE to "have a go" to break even.

 

That is either total bullshit or you need to shoot whoever advises you financially...

 

...GOMH*...

GOMH, are you refering to

please look at the costs of real ice, it is not financially viable to risk spending 200k without any financial help from the government

[Ripsaw]

To those who queried the figure that I stated:

£2.50 for me

 

Edit: Sorry, I meant £2.50 each person

 

Edit 2: I am informed that the cost to the group was also subsidised from group funds, so while discounts are available for group bookings, I reported an incorrect figure.

 

My apologies for the misleading cost.

[Juan Kerr]

What is the matter with you people, this event is being financed locally out of someones back pocket (a manx person) , don't see any of your taking a risk with your own money.

 

So stop your bitching and go back to moaning about wheelie bins and dog shit.

 

Seems to me that someone took the comments personally.

 

Just because its being funded by a "Manx person" does not automatically make it "good" or "reasonably priced" so if your connected to it just take the criticism. Some people have been and that was their view of things.

 

I am assuming someone put a business case together for it and worked out the potential profit so what is your beef? However as your later posts / gripes are to do with not getting DTL grants to underwrite set up costs, does that infer its not as big a money spinner as anticipated.

 

People seem to think that different rules apply because its the IOM and that in order for anything to be done properly it has to have a grant or some other subsidy. What happens everywhere else is that people set up a business to make money and it either does or does not.