'It will be more than just an ice rink', says Dudley Council leader as scheme moves closer
A planned £9 million new ice rink for Dudley will also bring new restaurants, cafes and bars into the town, says the council leader.
The council's cabinet is tonight (Wednesday) due to declare the southern section of the town's Flood Street car park surplus to requirements, paving the way for a lease agreement with leisure operator Planet Ice.
But Councillor Patrick Harley said that while the ice rink would be the anchor tenant of the scheme, the complex would also include food-and-drink operators.
Planet Ice typically sub-lets parts of its centres to national food-and-drink outlets.
"The ice rink will be the first part of the development, but food-and-beverage outlets like cafes and bars would be expected to follow.
"If you've got 5,000 people coming into the town every week, you would expect people to be looking for somewhere to eat and drink, it should be a real boost to the town."
Councillor Harley said he expected the attraction to be up-and-running next year.
He said once the cabinet gave the go-ahead in principle, a deal would be drawn up to lease the site to Ice Planet on a long-term deal.
The planning application was almost ready to go, he said, and work would be able to commence this year.
An independent feasibility study, commissioned by the West Midlands Combined Authority, estimated that the development would boost the town's economy by £40 million during the first decade, creating 100 new jobs and bringing 250,000 visitors a year into the town.
The centre would be opposite the Duncan Edwards Leisure Centre, and a proposed Padel Court on the opposite side of the Duncan Edwards Way bypass.
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