Skate Manchester comes to Cathedral Gardens on 08.11.2019

How do I buy tickets?
Book your skating session online through our website.
From the 8th November you will be able to book in person at our box office

I have booked online… what happens next?
You will receive a confirmation email with your unique barcode which will be scanned by a member of staff on arrival. You can bring this email as confirmation on your phone, tablet or printed.

Can I change my booking?
Yes, please email our customer service team on hello@skatemanchester.com and we will assist you.

I haven’t received my ticket?
Please check your spam mailbox as our email may have gone there. Not there? Please email our customer service team on hello@skatemanchester.com and we will assist you.

How long is the session on the ice for?
Sessions last for 45min on the ice. Please arrive at the Skate Exchange at least 30 minutes before your session time to allow ample time to put your skates on and store belongings.

When should I arrive?
Please arrive at the Skate Exchange at least 30 minutes before your session time to get ready to take to the ice and store belongings.

Should I pre-book a session or can I turn up on the day?
We recommend that all sessions are pre-booked online to avoid disappointment and avoid queues on site at busy periods. Tickets can be printed at home from the online system or scanned directly from your mobile device or tablet. This will guarantee your selected session time. The box office on site is open daily, although will have varying lengths of queue at peak times. Tickets can be purchased for future sessions at the Box Office in addition to the website.

Booking tickets at the box office
Our box office is open from the 8th of November. At peak times (Monday to Friday after 5.00pm and after 12.00pm on Saturday & Sunday), there is likely to be a queue, so advance purchase online is recommended to guarantee your skating session.

Can I book a Skate aid?
Yes, they are £5 each to hire and are available online here or at the ticket office.

If I cannot make it to my booked session, will I get a refund?
Unfortunately, we cannot offer any refunds for non-attendance. Where it is possible, we will try to accommodate you in another session, with advance notice. This will be subject to availability and ticket category and is not guaranteed.

Is there a transaction fee?
There is a transaction fee of £1.20 per ticket when buying tickets online. Tickets can also be purchased in person from the box office from 8th of November, for the same day or future dates. Tickets purchased at the box office for same day or future dates do not incur a booking fee. (All tickets subject to availability)

Is skate hire included?
Skate hire is included.

Can I bring my own skates?
Skate hire is included in the ticket price. You are able to provide your own skates if preferred. Arena Group is not responsible for your skates, shoes or property when skating at our rinks. There is no reduction in price if you bring your own skates. Rink staff reserve the right not to allow a person to use their own skates if they decide that they are not suitable.

What are your skate sizes?
Our skate sizes go from size J8 to size 14. There are a limited number of bobskates available.

What should I wear?
We recommend wrapping up in warm outdoor clothing and please wear gloves if using the ice rink.

Can I bring my bag on the ice?
Bags of any description are NOT permitted on the ice, so we advise to only bring essentials with you. All bags must be placed in the lockers provided. Lockers cost £2.00 and are non-refundable. Please do not bring large baggage or valuable items to the ice rink as they will not fit into a locker.

Is there a spectator area?
Yes, please note the spectator area is limited in size and is accessed externally. There is no access to the spectator area from the skate exchange.
This is not a covered area so please also wrap up warm. Unfortunately there is no wheelchair access to the spectator area.

Do I have to pay to be a spectator?
Viewing is free of charge.

Can I park at the Ice Rink?
Car parking is available near Manchester Victoria station. Disabled parking is available on Todd Street (outside Victoria Station).

Is there somewhere to buy food and drinks at the rink before or after skating?
There is a wide selection on offer at the Arctic Bar in the Ice Village, as well as the Christmas Market at Cathedral Gardens.

Is there wheelchair access?
Yes, the ice rink is fully accessible for wheelchair users. It’s also free for a carer to accompany you on the rink. Please book the other tickets as normal and email us your order confirmation and we will add on a free of charge carer’s ticket. If you have already paid for the carer to skate don’t worry! Just email hello@skatemanchester.com and we’ll issue you a refund.

Are there toilets at the ice rink?
There are no toilets located at the ice rink however the nearest toilets available for skaters are located nearby at The National Football Museum. Accessible toilets are also located The National Football Museum on levels 1, 2 and 4 and are available for skaters to use.

Where can I store my luggage whilst I skate?
We have a cloakroom available to skaters to store belongings for the duration of skating at a charge of £2 per item. Please note cloakrooms are cashless so a contactless card must be used. Arena is not liable for loss, theft or damages to the items stored, except for damage caused by intent or gross negligence of the company or its employees.

If the weather is very poor, will I be able to skate?
Outdoor ice rinks are subject to the elements and due to rain, unseasonably warm weather, high winds or a combination of these weather conditions, the surface of the ice rink can develop a layer of water. It is not unsafe to skate on a wet rink, just more uncomfortable if you fall and get wet. It can be more slippery to hands when getting up, which is why we advise wearing gloves – not only to help with the cold, but also to aid traction on the ice

As soon as there is some water on the surface, the wind agitates it and it generally takes longer to refreeze until we have lower temperatures and the wind drops off. Removing the water from the surface is counter-productive as it removes the layer of cold water that is insulating the ice below it exposing the ice to further melting and thus affects the ice depth. All rinks with surface water and the correct thickness of ice are safe to skate on and our priority is to keep the ice safe for all skaters. This is an unavoidable occurrence with outdoor ice rinks and all outdoor ice rinks in the country will experience the same challenges.

As our terms & conditions of purchase state, all of our tickets are non-refundable, however if you have chosen to not skate in these extreme conditions, as an exception, we would be glad to welcome you back to the rink to skate at another time that is convenient to you and hopefully when the rink surface has improved. Please head to the box office where staff will be able to process a new ticket for you for another time and date, whilst the rink is open.

How old do you have to be to skate on the rink?
To skate on our rinks you have to be at least 3 years old.
Skaters aged between 3 and 10 are classed as children and must be accompanied by an adult (18+) on the ice. Children between 10-12 years of age must be accompanied at the site with adults who are watching at all times. A ratio of 1 adult to 5 children will be accepted. You can skate on our rink up to any age, although you are responsible for skating safely and it is not recommended for anyone with serious illness, heart conditions or pregnant mothers to be. Skating is entirely at your own risk. The management will not be responsible for any loss or injury incurred.

Do you have skate marshalls?
Our Ice Skate Marshalls are on the ice rink to monitor safe skating and will assist when possible if you are a novice.

When is the best time for me to skate?

Morning sessions tend to be quieter, particularly when the schools are open.

The early evening sessions (17:00-19:00) are generally busy.

The 20:00 session has been quieter in the past too.

If you want more space, then a session earlier in the season would be a good idea or in January.

The week before Christmas is very likely to be busy throughout the whole day.

Please be aware that Mon-Fri 11am-3pm we may have school groups skating.

Where are you located?
We are located in Cathedral Gardens, Manchester. To view a map of our location please click here.

Can I skate on Christmas Day?
Unfortunately, we are closed on Christmas Day but we are open all other days advertised here on our website.

Do you offer discounts for group bookings?
Yes. We have an automatic discount of 10% off if you have over 10 people (excludes family tickets).

I would like to celebrate a special occasion at Skate Manchester, do you cater for parties? Unfortunately we do not cater for parties, however should you want to go all out and take over the entire rink for a group please contact hello@skatemanchester.com (private hire is for hire of the ice rink only).