Dudley could get an ice hockey team as deal for 3,000-capacity rink moves closer

Council leader Patrick Harley said the authority was making "strong progress" on a deal with Planet Ice to open a 3,000-capacity ice rink at the site of the Oakeywell Street car park, between Duncan Edwards Leisure Centre and Cousins furniture store.

He said the "multi-purpose" venue could hold up to 2,000 spectators for ice hockey games – with the area potentially having its own team. Capacity could be increased to 3,000 for other events such as music and boxing.

Councillor Harley told the Express & Star: "We've made strong progress and are now in advanced talks with Planet Ice, who are the main ice rink operator in the UK.

"They want to come to Dudley and we are now at the stage where they have offered us money for the land and discussions are taking place over a number of issues including the length of the lease."

He added that the town's under-construction Metro line – which has a stop at nearby Flood Street – could prove crucial to finalising the scheme.

He said: "If we didn't have the Metro link I'm not confident we could deliver the ice rink, but having it there could make all the difference when it comes to getting the deal over the line.

"This will be a multi-million pound development that will not only provide an entertainment complex, it will also create homes, jobs and food and beverage outlets.

"The Costa Coffees, the upmarket steak houses and the Frankie & Benny's will all want to be close to that ice rink. It is far more than just laying the tram tracks, it is about the regeneration of that whole area."

Plans for an ice rink in the town have been mooted for years, with a proposed scheme as part of the Portersfield development scrapped in 2021 due to financial concerns in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.

Planet Ice has 14 rinks across the UK, including the SkyDome Arena, the 4,000-capacity home of Elite Ice Hockey League side Coventry Blaze.