Tonight:
9°c
Now you can ice skate the Wembley way this Christmas
Jonathan Prynn, Consumer Business Editor11.09.09
First it was Somerset House, then the Natural History Museum, the Tower of London and even Marble Arch got in on the act.
Now Wembley Stadium is to join the roll-call of London landmarks offering outdoor skating around Christmas.
The rink, the biggest in Britain, will run round the outside of the pitch where England beat Croatia 5-1 this week to qualify for the World Cup.
It will be 355 metres long and be able to handle up to 750 skaters an hour doing laps of honour around the hallowed turf.
There will also be a nursery rink for nervous or beginner skaters. The rinks will be open from 6 December until 3 January.
There will also be a chance to visit the England squad's changing rooms and the players' tunnel and climb the steps to the royal box at an extra cost.
Organisers face a huge challenge as they will have only a few days to install pipes and freeze 2,000 square metres of ice in the six metre-wide track between the grass and the seats.
They have been told the turf must not be damaged in any way.
Nigel Mousley, head of production at organiser ICExperience, said: "We have got to build the biggest rink in the UK in just six days, which is no mean feat.
"We will have teams working day and night to get it done. But we hope skating round the rink and looking up at the arch and the thousands of seats is going to be very impressive. There's nothing like it in Britain."
Generators pumping out 1,200 amps will be used to keep the ice frozen even through a mild winter. There will also be lights and music and big screens showing skaters in action.
Prices for skating-only tickets are £11.50 for an adult, £9 for a child of 15 or under and £36 for a family.
All-inclusive tickets, which include the football tour and other activities, are £32 for an adult, £22.50 for a child and £94 for a family.
Tickets go on sale today at www.ticketmaster.co.uk or www.wembleyice.com
This Christmas will also see skating at the Tower of London, Hampton Court, Somerset House, the Natural History Museum, Marble Arch (also known as Winter Wonderland), Canary Wharf and Broadgate in the City.
Previous rinks at Hampstead Heath, Kew Gardens and Greenwich are not due to open this winter.
