Inverness Ice Centre seeks crowdfunding or faces closure

Inverness Ice Centre is to ask for public financial support as it battles closure over rising energy costs.

Recent energy price hikes have left the centre in a “precarious” financial position, according to councillor and ice centre chairman Michael Green.

Along with CEO Gordon Barron, they had planned to keep the centre on sure footing by selling off some of the centre’s property assets.

However, after a recent board meeting the centre has instead opted to open a crowdfunding campaign, asking the public to get the ice centre over the current financial hump.

Mr Barron said 44 jobs depend on the ice centre.

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The centre’s voting members were told of a financial recovery plan, which unless implemented, would leave the centre facing closure.

This is due to the recent spiralling energy costs, which have impacted the power hungry-ice venue more than most.

The recent energy crisis saw their prices rocket from £12,000 to £30,000-a-month overnight.

This has left the centre in a “precarious” financial position over the last two years.

Cllr Green worked closely with Mr Barron to produce a financial plan which they said could see the centre survive and then begin to grow.

These plans would see solar panels installed on the centre’s roof to relieve some of the energy costs.

This would come at the cost of selling a rental property adjacent to the centre.

However, the board behind the ice centre have agreed to defer these plans for 30 days, opting instead to try and raise money through crowdfunding in the community.

Set up as a charity, the ice centre has been getting creative in order to survive.

It spends the year swapping between an icy sports venue and an events hub.

Cllr Green and Mr Barron spoke of it’s popular Strictly Inverness event, which is a huge financial boost for the centre. Over the course of it’s 14-year and counting run, the event has raised over £2.3 million for the centre and it’s event partner Highland Hospice.

Other events coming to the venue this year include music gigs Inver90s and Pulse8.

Speaking in reaction to the board’s decision to defer the financial plans, Mr Barron said the decision came after “lengthy discussion”.

He said: “The board will consult with our accountant to establish the level of crowdfunding we require to meet our cashflow requirements over the next 12 months.

“The committee will be crowd fundraising to meet this requirement almost immediately and we will be looking for support from the public.”

Cllr Green said ice centre organisers had taken this “transparent and democratic” decision for the “benefit of our users and members”.

He added: “We have decided to defer the vote on selling the rental space for 30 days to explore crowdfunding as an alternative solution.

“We look forward to working closely with the newly formed crowdfunding sub-committee to raise awareness and secure financial support for this initiative, ensuring the long-term future of the ice centre.

“Further details will be shared in the coming days.”

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