No Brighton ice rink this Christmas: the operator found no site with enough mains power. The Old Steine is the preferred home from 2027, agreed in principle.

Brighton’s ice rink will not run this Christmas, but it has a new home lined up for 2027. The council and the operator, Laine Ltd, have picked the Old Steine as the preferred site “from 2027 onwards”. The council announced the move on Thursday 15 October (council announcement).

The rink has stood beside the Royal Pavilion every winter since 2010. That site is now taken. Restoration of the Royal Pavilion Garden starts on 9 November and runs until November 2027, which we reported when the plans went to Cabinet: no Pavilion rink this winter. Cabinet approved the £8.038 million garden project on the same day as the ice rink announcement (Cabinet decision list, 15 October 2026).

Why there is no rink this year

The problem is electricity. Laine Ltd runs the rink on mains power on a renewable tariff, and has not used diesel generators “for many years”. Shella Parkin of Laine Ltd said: “Ice rinks are power-hungry… unfortunately, we haven’t found a venue with sufficient electrical capacity for 2026 and have made the difficult decision to stand the rink down for one year.”

The rink’s own website now says it “will not take place in 2026” (Royal Pavilion Ice Rink, 15 October 2026).

Councillor David McGregor, Cabinet member for economy, culture, heritage and tourism, said the council had “explored all options”. He said there was “no suitable location that can provide the space, infrastructure and renewable power supply needed to operate the attraction safely and sustainably this year”.

Why the Old Steine

The Old Steine sits between the Royal Pavilion and the seafront. It has just been rebuilt as the third and final phase of Valley Gardens, which the council opened on Friday 16 October. The finished scheme includes what the council calls “sustainable outdoor event infrastructure” and a new public space between the Pavilion and the War Memorial. We covered the opening here: Valley Gardens Phase 3.

A cyclist on the new separated cycle lane beside the Old Steine in Brighton, with a wide resin path and new benches on the left, the War Memorial behind railings, and Regency terraces on the right
The rebuilt west side of the Old Steine, with the War Memorial behind. Photo: Brighton & Hove City Council

Cllr McGregor said the move gives the rink “a long-term future… in a location that is accessible, sustainable and right at the heart of the city centre”.

What is agreed so far is limited. The operator calls it “agreement in principle”. Neither the council nor Laine Ltd has published:

  • where on the Old Steine the rink would stand
  • the dates of a 2027 season
  • how the site would be powered
  • whether a planning application or licence is needed

What it means for you

  • No skating in Brighton this Christmas. Last season ran from 25 October 2025 to 4 January 2026, with tickets from £15 for ages 12 and over and £12 for under-12s. There is no 2026 season to book. Our ice rink page has the full history of the rink’s dates and prices.
  • The rest of the festive programme goes ahead. The council lists the Brighton & Hove Buses Santa Bus, the Volk’s Electric Railway Santa Express, events at the Royal Pavilion and museums, the Artists Open Houses winter programme, pantomimes, and concerts at Brighton Dome and the Brighton Centre. Our guides cover Christmas at the Royal Pavilion, Santa’s grottos and the Christmas lights and market.
  • The Old Steine is busier than it was. It is now a signal-controlled junction with a separated cycle lane, so a winter attraction there from 2027 will change how that corner of the city works in December. We will report the layout when it is published.

Sources