Canterbury's Dane John Gardens to get Christmas ice rink

Canterbury is to get its first ice rink.

The city council has announced plans for a 30 metre by 20 metre ice rink for Dane John Gardens this December.

It will be built near the park's bandstand and will open on Saturday, December 2 and close on New Year's Day.

Alongside the rink will be refreshments, a viewing area for those not skating, toilets and a play area for toddlers too young to skate.

It will be open from 11am until 6pm Sundays to Fridays and 11am to 7pm on Saturdays with shorter hours on Christmas Eve. There will be no sessions on Christmas Day or Boxing Day.

The council has said there will be round-the-clock security on the site and steps are being taken to minimise damage to the grass as much as possible.

The rink is however, a trial for the first year so that all involved can see how it works.

Ticket booking details are set to be released in the coming days.

Council leader Cllr Simon Cook, said: “We are very excited to be bringing a Christmas ice rink to Canterbury for the first time. It’s something lots of people have been asking for and will really enhance the festive atmosphere in the city.

"We expect the demand to be high, so people will need to get in quick when booking opens.”

The new ice rink is part of a revamp of Canterbury's Christmas offerings which also sees a big expansion of the Whitefriars Christmas market into St George's Street and the number of bespoke wooden huts rising from 43 to more than 70.