FALKIRK'S iconic Kelpies are to get a festive skating rink for the first time as it looks to boost its income after it emerged its Helix Park home is currently running at a £600,000 loss.
Falkirk Council announced this week that tickets are now on sale for a family-friendly skating rink beside the iconic sculptures that will be open from December 16 to January 7.
Reaction on social media has been positive, with hundreds of people eager to try the new experience of skating on synthetic ice that promises to be softer than the real thing for children and beginners.
READ MORE: Tui: New flights from Scottish airport to popular island for first time
The organisers also promise that the synthetic ice is an eco-friendly choice that will be gentler on the environment than traditional ice rinks.
The event promises to be the first of many as Falkirk Council recently agreed a new five-year strategy that it hopes will help increase visitor numbers to the 300-hectare park to one million a year.
The hope is to reduce the current subsidy by £180,000 by boosting the park’s income – currently £1.5m – rather than making cuts.
Culture and leisure bosses have promised more live events at the Helix in a bid to draw in visitors and boost the local economy. An estimated 600,000 visitors came to the Helix in 2021, spending around £84m supporting local businesses and jobs.
The Kelpies Festive ice rink opens on December 16 and tickets can now be booked.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here