News: Rink on the brink
A popular leisure venue in Rotherham that also hosts a number of sports clubs and competitions is set to close.
Players, parents and other groups have begun a fundraising campaign to be first in line for the rink facility.
Simply Skate Arena at Eastwood has hosted thousands of kid's parties, hockey games, skating lessons and other events over the last 20 years but the operators confirmed last week that it will close after the lease with the building's owner isn't being extended.
An update from the operators said: "After such an unprecedented year for everyone including ourselves, we are heartbroken to have to inform you all that Simply Skate Arena will not be reopening in May 2021.
"Unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful in securing a new lease for the building we occupy and after twenty years of trading our doors will be closing permanently.
"We are absolutely devastated that we cannot continue our business and that we will become just another sad statistic of this awful pandemic.
"In what would have been our 20th Anniversary celebrations this year, we have instead seen our business remain unused and empty for the most of it.
Advertisement
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued custom, loyalty and support over the years. We’ve had many happy times at the rink and we will be ever grateful for these memories."
The Eastwood venue regularly hosts tournaments and leagues for inline and ball hockey, both fast growing sports.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up, backed by the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, Ball Hockey UK and Young Guns Hockey, in a bid to secure sufficient funds to purchase the rinks from the current tenant of Simply Skate Arena. With the lease of the Eastwood building up, the aim would be to relocate them.
Sarah Finney, chair of the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, said: "The loss of this facility is a huge blow to the inline hockey community which has had a home in Rotherham for over 20 years. Over the years, thousands of youngsters and adults have come through the doors to participate in their sport, the venue is currently host to over 17 clubs. I have received so many messages of support since the news of the venues closure broke, so now I ask you all to contribute if you feel you can."
Simply Skate Arena website
Images: Simply Skate Arena
Players, parents and other groups have begun a fundraising campaign to be first in line for the rink facility.
Simply Skate Arena at Eastwood has hosted thousands of kid's parties, hockey games, skating lessons and other events over the last 20 years but the operators confirmed last week that it will close after the lease with the building's owner isn't being extended.
An update from the operators said: "After such an unprecedented year for everyone including ourselves, we are heartbroken to have to inform you all that Simply Skate Arena will not be reopening in May 2021.
"Unfortunately, we have been unsuccessful in securing a new lease for the building we occupy and after twenty years of trading our doors will be closing permanently.
"We are absolutely devastated that we cannot continue our business and that we will become just another sad statistic of this awful pandemic.
"In what would have been our 20th Anniversary celebrations this year, we have instead seen our business remain unused and empty for the most of it.
Advertisement
"We would like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continued custom, loyalty and support over the years. We’ve had many happy times at the rink and we will be ever grateful for these memories."
The Eastwood venue regularly hosts tournaments and leagues for inline and ball hockey, both fast growing sports.
A Go Fund Me page has been set up, backed by the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, Ball Hockey UK and Young Guns Hockey, in a bid to secure sufficient funds to purchase the rinks from the current tenant of Simply Skate Arena. With the lease of the Eastwood building up, the aim would be to relocate them.
Sarah Finney, chair of the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, said: "The loss of this facility is a huge blow to the inline hockey community which has had a home in Rotherham for over 20 years. Over the years, thousands of youngsters and adults have come through the doors to participate in their sport, the venue is currently host to over 17 clubs. I have received so many messages of support since the news of the venues closure broke, so now I ask you all to contribute if you feel you can."
Simply Skate Arena website
Images: Simply Skate Arena
0 comments:
Post a Comment