SCOTLAND, UK – Ice hockey in Scotland is in turmoil, with two of the country’s biggest cities facing the prospect of losing its rinks.
It was confirmed earlier this week that the new owners of Braehead Arena, London-based Global Mutual, are considering proposals from several interested parties to take over the running of the facility.
This may result in the venue ceasing to operate as an ice rink, thus impacting clubs across all levels of the sport in Scotland.
Pro Hockey News can now exclusively reveal that Murrayfield Ice Rink in Edinburgh is also on the brink of permanent closure.
The rink closed its doors last year due to the coronavirus pandemic and is yet to reopen as the owners strive to secure financial support.
Twelve ice rinks in Scotland shared around £1.75 million in grants thanks to Scottish Government funding during March to help them mitigate the impact of the pandemic.
Discussions were said to be ‘ongoing with other potential recipients’, one of which was believed to be Murrayfield Ice Rink.
Sources in Scotland have now told PHN that Murrayfield’s owners have already received a significant offer of financial assistance from sportscotland.
It is understood that there is still £250,000 of unallocated funds available, more than has been allocated to any single facility to date.
Clubs at all levels will be impacted if the rink fails to reopen, with some already posting about the issue on social media.
They say that they are fearful for their future and extremely concerned about the damage this could have on the wellbeing of younger players.
The potential loss of rinks in Glasgow and Edinburgh could cause huge damage to the sport in Scotland, and the clubs will be desperate for solutions to be found.
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