A real ice rink opens in Old Market Square on Friday 27 November and runs to 4 January. Adults £12, under-16s £10, skates included, and booking is open.

Warrington has a Christmas ice rink this year. Golden Square is putting a real-ice rink in Old Market Square from Friday 27 November 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027, and tickets are already on sale through the operator, National Leisure Group. This page sets out what is confirmed, what is not yet published, and the two year-round rinks nearby.

The quick answer

  • Is there an ice rink in Warrington this Christmas? Yes. The Golden Square Festive Ice Rink, Old Market Place, Warrington WA1 1QB, opens on Friday 27 November and runs until Monday 4 January. Golden Square says Sunday 3 January is the last day to book.
  • Prices: £12 an adult, £10 for under-16s, under-3s free, plus a booking fee online (72p on an adult ticket, 60p on a child’s). Skate hire is included.
  • Sessions last 60 minutes, including time to collect your skates. There is a family disco every day from 6pm to 8pm and a disco skate from 8pm to 10pm.
  • It is real ice and it is under cover. You can pay on arrival if a session has space, but the operator recommends booking, especially at weekends.
  • Christmas Day: the Golden Square rink has not said whether it opens. Planet Ice in Widnes and Altrincham both have a £10 Christmas Day skate, 10am to 12pm.

Prices are the standard ticket prices in the rink’s booking system on 20 October 2026. The booking system flags that prices can vary by session, so check the price on the session you pick.

Golden Square Festive Ice Rink: 27 November to 4 January

Golden Square calls the rink “the headline attraction” of its Christmas programme and says Old Market Square “will be transformed with the arrival of a brand-new ice rink”. The rink’s address is The Old Market Place, Golden Square Shopping Centre, WA1 1QB. (Golden Square)

The rink is run by National Leisure Group, a Runcorn company, and tickets are sold on its own site. (National Leisure Group tickets)

What is published
Dates Friday 27 November 2026 to Monday 4 January 2027
Last day to book Sunday 3 January
Where Old Market Square, Golden Square Shopping Centre, WA1 1QB
Session length 60 minutes, including collecting and putting on skates
Adult £12 (£12.72 with the online booking fee)
Child, under 16 £10 (£10.60 with the fee)
Under 3 Free
Parent and toddler £12 for one adult and one child under six; extra adult £8, extra toddler £4
Skating aid (penguin, polar bear or seated) £5
Skates Included; sizes from child’s 8 to adult 13, plus two-bladed “Bob Skates” for small children
Daily opening hours Not yet published

Golden Square’s own page still says “opening times, ticket prices and booking information will be announced soon”, but the booking system is already live and lists the prices above. We will add the full daily timetable when it is published.

The session types

The operator has set out five kinds of session in its booking system:

  • General skate: open to everyone, all abilities.
  • Parent and toddler: strictly for children under six with an adult. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday 9am to 11am, and Wednesday 2pm to 3pm. Skating aids are free in these sessions, first come first served.
  • Quiet skate: reduced noise and a calmer atmosphere, open to all ages. Wednesday 9am to 11am and Monday 4pm to 5pm. The operator also lists it on Sundays but has not given a Sunday time.
  • Family disco: music and lights, every day 6pm to 8pm.
  • Disco skate: every day 8pm to 10pm.

Session times vary in the school holidays, the operator says.

Skate & Strike. Book a skating session Monday to Thursday in term time, up to 18 December, and you can add a free game of bowling at Discobowl Warrington by ticking a box at checkout. The skating price is the same either way.

What to know before you go

All from the rink’s frequently asked questions on Golden Square’s page:

  • Arrive 10 minutes early to check in and collect skates. If you are late you can still join within the first half hour, but the session ends at its advertised time.
  • Children must be supervised by a responsible adult. There is no stated minimum age.
  • Spectators are welcome round the edge of the rink, but only skaters may go into the skate change area.
  • Wheelchairs: manual wheelchairs are allowed on the ice, pushed by a companion. Electric wheelchairs may not be suitable.
  • Carers: a registered carer with a valid carer ID card skates or accompanies free and does not need a ticket.
  • No lockers. The rink has no storage, so bring as little as possible.
  • Tickets are non-refundable, but bookings can be moved to another session if there is space, using the link in the confirmation email.
  • Weather: the rink is covered. If severe weather stops a session, the operator says it will contact the people booked on it.
  • Groups and private hire: contact info@nationalleisuregroup.co.uk.

Planet Ice Widnes: the nearest year-round rink

Planet Ice Widnes, Unit 1, Venture Fields, Earle Road, Widnes WA8 0TA, has public skating loaded in its booking system right through Christmas and New Year. Prices read on 20 October 2026:

Ticket Price
Adult or child £15.40
Family of three to five £14.70 each
Student, 16 and over £10
Under 4 £3.20
Carer Free
Christmas Day skate, 10am to 12pm £10 (under-4s £3.20)

Its December calendar includes Skate & Spot Santa sessions on Saturday 19 and Thursday 24 December, a Sub Zero Disco at 8pm on 19 December, and themed New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day skates. (Planet Ice)

One caution. Planet Ice’s website also shows an undated notice saying that “due to unforeseen circumstances Planet Ice Widnes is temporarily closed” and pointing skaters to Altrincham for “summer skating”. The Widnes booking calendar and the Widnes Wild home ice hockey fixtures Planet Ice lists both run on through November and December, so the notice may be left over from the summer, but Planet Ice has not said so. Check with the rink before you travel.

Planet Ice Altrincham

Planet Ice Altrincham, Oakfield Road, Altrincham WA15 8EW, is the other year-round option. Its prices are the same as Widnes: £15.40 for a public skate, £14.70 each for families, and a £10 Christmas Day skate from 10am to 12pm. Its calendar also includes Skate & Spot Santa sessions on 19 and 24 December and New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day skates. (Planet Ice)

Parking and getting there

Golden Square is in the town centre, so the town centre car parks apply. Our parking in Warrington page lists them with prices, and council car park charges change on 9 November: see Warrington parking charges rise. For closures on the way in, check Warrington roadworks before you set off.

More Christmas in Warrington

Sources

  • Golden Square Shopping Centre, Ice Skating at Golden Square, and its events listing, read 20 October 2026.
  • National Leisure Group, tickets page and its booking system’s ticket types and prices, read 20 October 2026.
  • Planet Ice, booking calendar for Widnes and Altrincham, sessions and prices for 24 October 2026 to 1 January 2027, read 20 October 2026.
  • Widnes Wild, NIHL 2026/27 fixtures, read 20 October 2026.