Venue Insight (continued)
It is important to include a fresh drinking water supply to your hospitality or refreshment areas, insulating all outdoor pipework to protect against freezing winter temperatures. At Arena Ice we can provide temporary structures for pop-up cafe’s, bars, restaurants all seamlessly kitted out to the theme or interior design of your choice – whether you want a Lapland environment, alpine lodge, cosy lounge or ice bar - the limitations are only set by budget, space and the client’s imagination!
Skating sessions
We recommend a typical skating session lasts 45 minutes, starting on the hour and leaving a 15 minute period for resurfacing the rink before the next session and the changeover of skates. Arena Ice offer a full ‘turnkey’ service, including the provision of metal hand scrapers with every rink package, leisure skates and fun skating aids for younger children available in two-seater ‘Bananas’ or standing ‘Penguins’. Optional rink access gates, DDA compliant ramps with safety handrails, skate racks, service counters and benches to kit out Skate Exchange areas can also be supplied.
Skating ROI
It is important to keep in mind that in reality, some sessions will be quieter than others, with the peak pre-Christmas weekends and school holidays often reaching capacity throughout. We outline an initial formula for skating return on investment:
Rink Size / Capacity (divided by 3) x No. of Sessions per Day x No. of Operational Days x Average Ticket Price.
For example: - A 600m² Ice Rink has a recommended maximum capacity of 200 skaters per session (45-minutes) allowing a capacity of 3m² of ice per skater.
200 skaters multiplied by 12 Sessions per day = 2,400 potential ticket sales per day.
Multiply by 55 Operational Day = 132,000 potential ticket sales for the event.
Multiply by an average ticket price of £7.50 = £990,000 maximum ticket sale revenue.
Plus Skate Aid Rental (at £4 - £6 per Aid, per 45-minute session).
Venue Considerations Venue owners and operators need to be aware of the differing levels of service available when selecting their supply partners. It’s often too late when the bad weather hits
12 JUNE/JULY 2016
and any failings in infrastructure are apparent – there is more to ‘good value for money’ than simply cost. Within Arena Ice, we are very fortunate in our level of investment; owning all of our own aluminium rink system and associated products which enables us to remain truly competitive and provide a full turnkey package for operators – including state of the art ticketing systems. It’s an ongoing challenge for operators these days to balance creating a fabulous event with making a healthy profit, so their choice of event partner is crucial for support, success and building a positive reputation for the future.
An imaginative catering offering delivered professionally can reap great financial rewards as well as creating a reputable name for the venue. Themed ‘pop-up’ bars, restaurants and café’s seem to appeal to the public seeking new experiences and ways to celebrate with friends and family. Being hands-on enables us to work with our clients to develop innovations; satisfying their ever growing need to bring originality to their venues. Operators who are listening to their visitors tend to come back to us time and again for new ideas and details of the latest trends in technology. We completely understand the level of outlay a client needs to commit when promoting an ice rink or winter attraction; we are now prepared to offer risk-share models in the right locations, backed by our reliable infrastructure and experienced teams, to give clients the benefit of a truly professional approach.
Future of ice rink installations We are continually exploring new avenues and combining the latest technology with
solid infrastructure. We launched our under-ice LED technology at Van Hage last winter, to great acclaim from the public. Lighting effects in general works well with the medium of ice and this often brings out creativity in many a conceptual designer. Our new Ice Bar technology raises corporate hospitality to another level – but can equally be tailored to product launches and sponsorship opportunities, themed bars and sparkling exhibitions.
Final thought for outdoor venues It may sound common sense, but it is important to remember it will be winter; cold, wet, windy and possibly icy! It is easy to forget at the late summer planning stage, the significant effects that the UK’s winter weather can have on your venue, including a reduction in footfall, parking, access, and customer dwell time. As a British based company who owns its own rink and structure equipment, we understand the seasonal the challenges like no other. Outdoor areas should be surfaced and where necessary, also covered with a reliable low- slip floor covering such as Astroturf or safety flooring. Heating is a must within structures to allow skates to dry out, keep staff warm and customers happy. Solid sided glazed structures can help cut drafts, along with cloth ceiling linings, trapping a warm layer of air beneath PVC roof sheets. Linings in general can make a temporary space feel snug and cosy, bringing a feeling of permanence and authenticity to a Christmas experience at your outdoor venue.
Contact Rebecca Owen on Tel: 01480 46888 Email:
rowen@arenagroup.com to discuss your outdoor venue’s rink requirements.
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