There is fresh hope for Ryde ice rink after the Isle of Wight Council agreed to let new tenants take over the abandoned building.
Earlier this year the local authority said it was ‘happy in principle’ with a new leaseholder but it has now formally agreed to the change.
The council is the freeholder of what used to be Ryde Arena, and has to approve the transfer of the lease.
Ryde councillor and Mayor, Michael Lilley asked for an update on the building at a corporate scrutiny committee yesterday (Tuesday) because, despite the Ryde Gateway improvements, the town still has a ‘dilapidated eyesore’ on its seafront.
The arena has stood empty since 2016.
In 2018, the Isle of Wight Council tried to bring legal action against AEW, the current leaseholder. However, that was dropped last year, when County Hall was advised there was little hope of positive resolution.
Last night, Cllr Lilley said the council had let the Island’s young people – and potential Winter Olympic medal winners – down by not bringing the ice rink back.
The Isle of Wight Council said the new – unnamed – tenants want to refurbish and reuse the premises, but the authority needs an update on the handover progress from AEW, now called NY Mellon.
Meanwhile, plans for a new ice rink at Smallbrook Stadium were passed nearly three years ago by the council.
No progress has been made because the group behind it, Smallbrook Ice and Leisure Centre, say there were drainage issues.
Last night, Cllr Chris Quirk, vice-chair of the Isle of Wight Council’s scrutiny committee, said the lack of progress was disappointing but the search was still on for a facility on the Island.
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