Council Planning Application
West Zone: Ice Rink & Bowling
Not many people will remember that Brighton used to have a permanent ice rink (located in West Street) which was once home to the Brighton Tigers. The team existed from 1935 until 1965 and was one of the UKs most successful sides during that period. The club was based at the Brighton Sports Stadium (often known by its original name of SS Brighton) on West Street.
Part of our vision for the King Alfred leisure centre is to build a new ice rink on the west side of the building.
The Tigers were members of the English National League and later the British National League. The club was one of the country's best supported teams with 4,000 spectators regularly attending matches which were held on a Thursday night.
The Tigers' most famous victory was over the Soviet Union in December 1957, winning 6–3.
FUN FACT: Dancing on Ice can trace its origins back to the ice rink at the Brighton Sports Stadium.
Disciplines offered in the West Zone
Team Disciplines:
Ice hockey, synchronized skating, curling, broomball, bowling leagues, youth bowling clubs, competitive bowling, corporate bowling events, ice-based team building activities, bowling tournaments.
Individual Disciplines:
Figure skating, ice dancing, freestyle skating, speed skating, ten-pin bowling, private skating lessons, learn to skate programs, bowling coaching sessions.
Leisure & Fun Disciplines:
Public skating, family skate sessions, disco skating, adaptive skating, ice fitness classes, birthday parties on ice, skating shows and exhibitions, casual bowling, family bowling, cosmic bowling, birthday party bowling, themed bowling nights, arcade games, group entertainment packages.
Modern Ice Rink Efficiency & Heat Transfer Integration
Today’s ice rinks use advanced refrigeration systems that extract heat from beneath the ice surface.
Instead of wasting this heat, modern systems recover and repurpose it to heat swimming pools, provide domestic hot water, and warm air systems within the leisure centre. This is achieved through integrated heat transfer technology, often using eco-friendly refrigerants like CO₂ or ammonia.
By recycling waste heat, these systems significantly reduce overall energy consumption and carbon emissions, making the rink a valuable and efficient energy source within a multi-use facility.