Popular pop-up ice rink in Aylesbury calls for public backing

The organisers of a popular pop-up ice rink in Aylesbury are calling on members of the public to support plans to return to Chiltern View Garden Centre this winter.

The rink which attracted more than 30,000 visitors last year and was opened by the likes of Boney M and David Seaman, has had to reapply for planning permission.

We spoke to one of the organisers, Luke Taylor, who says they've drummed up support from thousands of people already:

"Last year was our second year and it was even bigger and better than the year before and we are trying to bring it back this year.

"Sadly, the council make us reapply every year, so it's not a case of something that will just roll over and last year was very difficult trying to get it approved.

"It's about six weeks we open and it's such an amazing opportunity to bring the community together.

"It keeps people in work, you know, it's a garden centre. The last place you want to go in December is to go buy pansies for your garden. So it keeps all the people that work there throughout the summer in work at Christmas as well.

"The site where the garden centre is is a big site. It can cope with the volume and the numbers. It doesn't have any issue on the traffic and the car park's big enough to cater for it and we have security on side so we don't rely on anybody else externally.

"We don't rely on the council for money, or their help doing any of it, we do everything ourselves. We pay advertising to local businesses. We use all local suppliers for the food and external staff that come in and work for us all come from the local area. So it's a huge economy just for that short period of time that really does help everyone in the area."

Buckinghamshire Council said the application is currently under consideration and it expects to make a decision on this during summer.

Peter Strachan, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Planning and Environment, said: “A temporary planning application has been submitted for an ice rink and refreshment bar, as well as associated ancillary facilities at Chiltern View Garden Centre, in Aylesbury. The application is seeking approval to use a building which has no planning permission, and to utilise a car park which also has no permission, both of these uses are subject to current enforcement notices. The application is currently under consideration and no decision has been made yet. The Council expects to make a decision on this during summer.”