Lack of maintenance at the former Ryde Arena ice rink caused the business behind Mermaid Gin to withdraw from major development plans, an Isle of Wight councillor has claimed.
Councillor Michael Lilley — of Ryde Community Trust and who will represent the Liberal Democrats in Isle of Wight East at the next general election — asked a question at the Isle of Wight council’s cabinet meeting last week.
Lilley: What action will IWC take?
He asked what action the Isle of Wight council plans to take over what he called a ‘lack of maintenance’ on the major building on Ryde seafront.
He said lack of maintenance was why Isle of Wight Distillery pulled out from the process to turn the building into an attraction and distillery hub.
AEW said it will continue to maintain the condition
When Isle of Wight Distillery withdrew its plans, it did not explain why and has not commented on Councillor Lilley’s suggestion that the condition of the building was to blame.
Leaseholders of Ryde Arena, AEW said it will continue to maintain the condition of the property in accordance with its leasehold obligations while it works on future plans for the building.
Freehold is owned by the council
Leader of the Isle of Wight council, Councillor Phil Jordan, said the lease requires the arena’s structure to be well maintained and that County Hall is working with AEW to “see what repairs and maintenance might be required and practical to undertake”.
The freehold is owned by the council but, since 2014, the lease has been in the hands of the multi-national investment firm, AEW.
The building has been empty since 2016, when the once popular and much-used ice rink, formerly Planet Ice, closed.
Attempt at court action
The Isle of Wight council had tried to take AEW to court — to try to get the building back — but the arbitration proceedings came to an end in 2021 before an agreement could be reached.
At the time, the council reaffirmed its commitment to resolving the arena’s future and said it would not accept proposals to replace the ice rink with retail.
Users of ice rink
Ryde Arena once housed the Isle of Wight Raiders ice hockey team and numerous ice-skating groups, and its disuse has forced many to travel to the mainland to practice and compete.
Hopes for an ice rink on the Island were raised in recent years with plans approved for such a facility next to Smallbrook Stadium but no work has been done since planning permission was approved.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
