UPDATE – citing security concerns, the ice rink has been cancelled.
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A fenced-off section of fields next to Kensington Palace, which is used as a heliport by the Royal Family is to be turned into a large ice rink and funfair this winter.
To be called Ice @ Kensington Palace, it will take over a long strip of park that is at the Notting Hill Gate end of Hyde Park and the planning documents show that it will include a large ice rink, a smaller funfair and the usual entertainments of a food market and shopping zone.
The northern end of the fields, which will be turned into the funfair and food hall is currently used as a football pitch by the Royal Household at Kensington Palace, while the ice rink itself will be on top of the spot used to land helicopters to collect the regal person.
The ice rink – concept image from the planning documents
The ice rink is fairly large, with a capacity for 750 people, and the organisers expect the average visit to last around three hours – assuming people will linger for the funfair and food.
Tickets will be sold granting access to the site for one of three daily sessions (9.30am to 1.30pm; 1.30pm to 5.30pm and 5.30pm to 9.30pm). Each skating session will last up to 45 minutes and access will be permitted from 30 minutes prior to each session to provide time for people to collect skates.
While it can be argued that this is “yet another” temporary ice rink for London, it can also be argued that it’s replacing one that has closed down — as the nearby Natural History Museum no longer has an ice rink in its grounds.
The ice rink will open to the public on Friday 1st December 2023, and will be open until Sunday 7th January 2024.
Tickets to Ice @ Kensington Palace will go on sale on 6th September 2023 from here. Prices will be announced at the time the tickets go on sale.
The entrance will be a short walk from Notting Hill Gate and Queensway tube stations.
Funfair area – concept image from the planning documents
wow those renders are bad, looks like they tried to use excell.
Are the royals desperate for cash to repair all their palaces, or is this just a gesture to boost their ratings?
Neither – it’s not part of the Palace, just next to it.
The organisers behind the ice rink at the Natural History museum moved it to Battersea Power Station from last year.