THE continued popularity of ice skating at the BIC has proved there is a demand for a permanent rink in Bournemouth, campaigners say.

Calls for a rink have been growing in recent times thanks to the Facebook group Westover Ice Rink Memories, which has organised two reunions for people who were regulars at the town’s original skating venue.

Around 300 people took to the Cool Coast Ice Rink at the BIC for the latest reunion just after Christmas, with around another 100 going along as spectators.

An online petition demanding a rink now has more than 1,300 signatures.

Bournemouth council has earmarked land at King’s Park for a permanent rink but so far no developer has been able to get a scheme underway.

Mary Waygood, who organised the reunion with Michele Harnett, said: “It would be nice to find a developer.

“We need someone who will put the money up front and maybe use some of the expertise we have from members of the group to manage and run the ice rink.

“With the temporary ice rink, they’re already seeing the demand for those facilities. It gets better every year.”

She said a permanent rink could host sports such as speed skating and ice hockey, plus the ‘ice theatre’ shows that are popular in other venues.

And she said the local population now contained many Eastern European people who are experienced skaters.

“With high numbers of Eastern European people, it would be nice for them to continue the sport they grew up with,” she said.

Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns visited the recent reunion and said: “I thought it was really fantastic to see people of all ages, from very small children through to very mature people and families, enjoying the temporary ice rink at the BIC.

“One of the gaps in Bournemouth’s offering is that we could do with more all-weather entertainment. I was very sympathetic to the group, who want to explore with potential commercial developers and the council what opportunities there might be within Bournemouth to find a more permanent and commercially viable ice rink.”

He pointed out that the nearest rink was in Basingstoke, so a Bournemouth rink could attract people from a wide area.