Murrayfield Ice Rink: Beloved Edinburgh institution closing its doors 'for the foreseeable future'

An adored Edinburgh ice rink that has been open for more than 60 years has announced that it will be closing “for the foreseeable future” after being hit hard during the Covid pandemic.

Murrayfield Ice Rink announced on social media that they would have to close in order to save funds and protect the long term future of the business.

The heartfelt post said: “We recognise it has been an exceptional and difficult time for everyone.

Murrayfield Ice Rink will be closed for the foreseeable future.

"Since April we have been working with the various governmental bodies both local and national to make them aware of the particular challenges facing Murrayfield Ice Rink due to the pandemic and to pursue funding to enable us to reopen.

“Without the same level of financial support that has been granted to the arts and culture sector we are now at a stage where essential measures are required to reduce costs to a minimum in order to protect the long term future of the business.

“It is therefore with regret that we need to inform you that ice facilities at Murrayfield will not be available for the foreseeable future."

The ice rink opened in 1957 under private ownership and as well as being a much loved centre for friends and family to practise their skating skills, it houses games for the Scottish Ice Hockey Association and is home to the team the Murrayfield Racers.

The post continued: “We fully understand that the loss of ice facilities in Edinburgh will not only have a devastating impact on all the staff, coaches, ice users, volunteers and clubs that call Murrayfield Ice Rink home but also to the wider community in the Lothians, the South East and Central

Scotland.

"We would like to thank Sportscotland for their time and effort in raising our specific challenges with Scottish Government Ministers and over the coming months we will continue to seek support from the Scottish Government, City of Edinburgh Council, the National governing bodies and also

explore other avenues to safeguard the capital's only permanent ice rink for future generations.

"We are still hopeful that ice users will once again be able to take to the ice at Murrayfield.”

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