Fund-raising drive launched to save Rotherham skating rinks

Simply Skate at Eastwood will close on April 30 following a difficult, Covid-hit 12 months.

The operators have regretfully announced that the lease with the building's owners is not being extended.

The closure ends 20 years of skating at the venue and is a blow to the many inline and run-around hockey clubs and players who use the facility as well as members of the public.

Sarah Finney, chair of the British Inline Puck Hockey Association, said the news was "heartbreaking".

“The hockey community is devastated, as are the casual skaters," she added.

A GoFundMe page has been set up in an attempt to raise money to purchase the rink assets and re-home them somewhere else, preferably locally, but time is tight.

Anyone wanting to support the fund-raising drive can find the GoFundMe page at

https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-rebuild-our-rink