VIDEO
YOUNG ice dancers and hockey players who claim they have been frozen out of Ryde Arena by a greedy investment company have taken their fight to the streets of London today (Friday).


Gathering outside the Jermyn Street offices of AEW, protestors as young as six and donned in sequinned costumes and ice hockey kit, are set to perform the sort of routines normally only seen on the ice.

The group is hitting out at a decision last October to close the rink after a dispute between the landlords AEW — who lease the building from the Isle of Wight Council — and the not-for-profit community trust that ran it.

The youngsters have won the backing of local Conservative MP Andrew Turner and Green Party leader Caroline Lucas, who visited the rink and spoke to campaigners last week.

On October 6 last year, rink users turned up to find the doors padlocked shut. Now, less than two years after buying the rink, AEW are putting it up for sale for more than three times the price they paid, despite it being in a worse condition than when they got it, campaigners have claimed.

"Overnight and with no warning, AEW destroyed the dreams of thousands of Islanders whose lives have been changed by skating, not to mention 30 full and part-time jobs lost. 

"AEW has avoided contact with the community — it has cancelled meetings organised by our MP and hung up the telephone on one of our representatives. So, since AEW will not come to or speak to the Island, then the Island will come to AEW," said Robina Marshall, chair of the Ryde Arena Community Action Group.

The protesters are demanding AEW finds a way to re-open the building to use as an ice rink, café bar and entertainment venue at or below the price they paid and that they fully repair, at their cost, the facility to the state required by the freeholder, the Isle of Wight Council.

Any loss should be borne in full by the management team of AEW UK and not their investors, the campaigners say.Robina added: "We believe AEW UK has engaged in the worst sort of speculation — profiting at enormous social expense to the community.

"We need AEW UK’s management team to do the ethical thing by the rink users as well as by the pensioners and other investors they are working on behalf of."

Isle of Wight MP Andrew Turner said: "The rink provided a tremendous facility for children and young people to improve their physical and mental health and well-being.

"As well as learning how to work cooperatively, they learned how to persevere in the face of challenges and discover how patience and hard work leads to positive outcomes."

Caroline Lucas MP, co-leader of the Green Party, visited the abandoned rink last Saturday and, after speaking with some of the children affected, made an impassioned demand: "The disgraceful actions of this investment company are inflicting misery on the Isle of Wight.

"Not only have 30 jobs been lost, but the thousands of islanders who use the ice rink have been locked out of a facility that’s crucial to their well-being.

"This company only cares about making profit — and seemingly isn’t concerned by the impacts of its decision. It’s outrageous that children are now having to wake up in the early hours to travel to mainland venues to train."AEW must reverse their disastrous decision and immediately commit to reopening the ice rink."
Ryde Arena protest in London

Ryde arena protest in London
See full details here: http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/isle-of-wight-skaters-take-ryde-ice-rink-fight-to-london-hq-of-investment-company-97763.aspx

Posted by Isle of Wight County Press on Friday, 24 February 2017

Ryde Arena users protesting in London against closure of rinkFull details here: http://www.iwcp.co.uk/news/news/isle-of-wight-skaters-take-ryde-ice-rink-fight-to-london-hq-of-investment-company-97763.aspx

Posted by Isle of Wight County Press on Friday, 24 February 2017