After a brave battle against the unseasonably mild weather in recent weeks, Colchester Ice Rink finally declared company liquidation – highlighting how even unusually settled and temperate conditions can be disastrous for some businesses.
Whereas most business operators are probably grateful for the lack of snow and ice in the run-up to Christmas this year, Colchester Ice Rink was left unable to operate due to a simple lack of ice at the outdoor venue.
As Christmas week itself began, the operators looked at the weather forecast and, with double-digit temperatures and clear sunshine among the predictions, took the difficult decision to declare company liquidation.
Their statement said: “This decision has been taken with deep regret as it will have a major impact on [Reflective Ice Ltd’s] staff, partners and customers.
“Reflective Ice Ltd sincerely thanks their staff, customers, business partners and supporters. There has been a huge amount of support for the ice rink in Colchester and on social media. This is a very sad day.”
When the statement was tweeted via Colchester Ice Rink’s profile, several messages of support were sent by way of reply, with some former customers saying how much they had enjoyed their visit to the ice rink when it was operational.
Others offered more practical suggestions – for example, transforming the venue from an ice rink into a rollerskating rink – while one joked that it was not just the company, but the ice itself that had gone into ‘liquidation’.
However, the case is a reminder of how unseasonable conditions can have a huge effect on seasonal trade – whether that means extreme weather that prevents customers from being able to reach a venue, or as in this case, unusually settled conditions that hamper the operation of companies that actually require extremes like snow, ice and sub-zero temperatures.
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