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Did the old ice arena stand where the new one is now? According to Yellow Pages it was on Lower Parliament Street, but doesn't give a number. I only actually went a few times when I lived here in the 80s, so can't remember exactly where we used to go, but I think I remember walking through Hockley, down Goosegate to get to it? If it wasn't where the current one is can anyone give me a current landmark where it stood please?

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As others have said, the new is on the site of the old, although the new is much bigger. One major change which happened was that half the length of Barker Gate disappeared under the new building. Th

I used to go to the ice rink in the 60’s. Can remember Ralph, my friend, whose mum & dad ran a pub nearby where he used to go, worked for him for a while. I used to go on trips to other ice rinks

Before that Squash Club was built in possibly late 60s/early 70s there was an old house and a small wood on that corner.  I used to nervously walk past there up to my friend’s house in Mapperley, it w

bearob, the old Ice Stadium, and the area around it, was demolished and the Capital FM Arena was built in its place. If you remember, the old Ice Stadium had a large car park on the front and you walked up the steps to enter the building. Here's a photo of the old Ice Stadium.

NottinghamIceStadiumDemolished_zps18a973

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As others have said, the new is on the site of the old, although the new is much bigger. One major change which happened was that half the length of Barker Gate disappeared under the new building. This is the stretch of Barker Gate which no longer exists, the old Ice Stadium on the right.

barker-1.jpg

That length of road included a well-known pub, the Old Cricket Players, which is now approximately under the entrance area of the Arena.

cricket-1.jpg

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When I went to the old Ice Stadium I'd always go into the Old Cricket Players. Every time I went in, a chap called Wally and his wife would always be at the end of the bar next to the jukebox. I can remember that he'd always put his money in and listen to 'From A Jack To A King' by Ned Miller. There was a skittle table in the middle of the room and we'd have lots of laughs playing on it. They also sold really tasty pork pies. I've just remembered that the barman was a chap called Derek and we'd always have lots of banter. But, it's just another bit of my life that ended with the bulldozer.

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I remember going to the old Ice Stadium in the 60s. There used to be a chap playing a hammond organ. I seem to recall his name was Doug Hellyer?

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Started going to the ice stadium in the 50s to watch the "Panthers" Chick and the boys remember the tickets were 3/6d 4/6d 5/6d 6/6d a lot of money to me as a 12 year old,you had to buy a ticket for the following week if you wanted to make sure of getting in the next week .Who remember walking around the passage and the homemade type patties(burger) that were made under there, was the chaps name Ralph? know the managers name was Saunders because I played football with his son Geoff for St Saviours and then name change to Newbridge(the pub at the side on Arkwright St).

Hope you dont mind me giving all this detail but I believe it leads to others remembering different stories to tell.

Who remembers the ice racing between periods of skating... Jeff Stockdale......

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Also remember meeting Reg King when he used to promote boxing there,stood next to the great Cassius Clay(as he was then) on his visit to promote his fight with Old Henry,he walked around the ring holding the NO 5 (for round Henry would go down) yes it all floods back,between you and me I have had a great life....

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Well,trevor, we've summat else in common, I was a supporter of the Nottingham Ice Racers, made myself hoarse screaming at them! Remember Jeff Stockdale well, he was the 'star' of the team. Also remembef the fella who cooked the patties, the meat was 'loose', not formed like a burger. He was just to the left as you went down the steps.

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I was reading it yesterday, Stu (#12). Anyone who hasn't had a look at 'The Tears Of A Clown' should have a look because there's some great stuff on there, especially if you are a Hibernian FC supporter..lol.

trevorthegasman (#10/11), his name was Ralph and he was always smoking a pipe. He was the maintenance man at the Stadium during the day and did the burgers in the evening. Can you remember Charlie who worked at the shop in the foyer, he always wore a bow tie and was a really nice chap. He also sharpened peoples skates.

When the boxing was on at the Ice Stadium, Reg King would have a meal in the canteen. A table was set in the corner with tablecloth and shining cutlery. I'm trying to remember the name of the manageress, a lovely lady who had black hair and wore glasses. She'd always make sure that everything was perfect for him and always got a very big tip. Reg King wasn't flash in any way, he was a really nice chap who I often chatted to. I saw every fight at the Ice Stadium during that era and was at the top of the steps, by the doors, when Cassius Clay entered the foyer. He was surrounded by about a dozen bodyguards and they walked straight past me and went up to the boxing ring. Just as trevorthegasman stated (#11) he held the round 5 card above his head shouting 'Man alive, I'll do him in five' with all the crowd booing him and throwing plastic cups etc at him. You couldn't hear yourself speak as the crowd erupted but Clay and his entourage departed as fast as they'd arrived. A fantastic night and a memory I'll never forget.

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trevorthegasman (#10), I played for a team called 'Newbridge' but I can't remember anything about it. I seem to think that the manager lived somewhere in Clifton.

I also remember Jeff Stockdale, he was a really nice chap, a great speed skater and friend. As katyjay stated (#13), he was certainly the star of the team.

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  • 4 years later...

What memories!!  the wife was always present with the organist, hands to the front together and a fur coat. Ralph cooked the burgers and gave a skate grinding service this was 1963. Thelma Perry gave me lessons the ex European Figure Champion, for the price of five shillings and six pence , about twenty seven and a half pence surely not at todays conversion rate am I right ?.

             Dad used to go to the Cricketers for a drink leaving mum with me during the lesson on Tuesday,s one night the Ali / Liston fight was on, being viewed on the pub tv and dad asked he could have the other channel on for a farming programme the barman said it would cause a riot. That was dad,s sense of humour of course he was there to see the fight also.I will never forget the old Stadium with the skate shop by the stairs up to the rink, and the atmosphere, and the feeling of stepping off the rubber matt on to the ice. Does anyone have any info of Thelma Perry a lovely lady and patient instructor.

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On ‎4‎/‎5‎/‎2014 at 9:41 AM, trevorthegasman said:

Started going to the ice stadium in the 50s to watch the "Panthers" Chick and the boys remember the tickets were 3/6d 4/6d 5/6d 6/6d a lot of money to me as a 12 year old,you had to buy a ticket for the following week if you wanted to make sure of getting in the next week .Who remember walking around the passage and the homemade type patties(burger) that were made under there, was the chaps name Ralph? know the managers name was Saunders because I played football with his son Geoff for St Saviours and then name change to Newbridge(the pub at the side on Arkwright St).

Hope you dont mind me giving all this detail but I believe it leads to others remembering different stories to tell.

Who remembers the ice racing between periods of skating... Jeff Stockdale......

Yes that was Ralph in the tunnel who also ground the skates I think as a part time income, I will never forget the smell of his burgers they had a smell  and  taste being unique. I always joined in with the speed skating being only nine at the time and very chubby but they did not seem to mind if I stayed on the inside with their hands behind their back and passing me in a flash, lapping me several times . it was for me a lovely time1962 and1963 before we came to live in Cornwall I will for sure visit the new Stadium on my next visit to see family this year but no doubt it will ,I feel not be quite the same.

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I used to go to the ice rink in the 60’s. Can remember Ralph, my friend, whose mum & dad ran a pub nearby where he used to go, worked for him for a while. I used to go on trips to other ice rinks with the speed skating team to support them. There used to be a klaxon go off and you had to get off the ice while the instructors danced with their pupils. We once went on New Years Eve and they put the clock forward so we had a very early celebration of new year. There was a bar, which always seemed a bit strange, from what I can remember although we never went in there. There was also a programme filmed there with ice skating and pop groups. Ralph got my friend and I into quite a few of the fillings. We met Lulu, The Tremelos (? Spelling) who seemed really old and not very nice and Spencer Davies. We were walking round the rink with Spencer Davies while they were filming a skater and had to fall to the floor as the camera panned round. One of my claims to fame Stevie Winwood fell on top of me!  David Jacobs, the disc jockey, was the host he had just done Juke Box Jury with the Rolling Stones so we were quizzing him about them, he wasn’t very impressed with them from what I can remember which didn’t go down well with us as we were fans and used to go all over to see them. Many happy memories of a misspent youthsmile2

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  • 11 months later...
On 4/5/2014 at 9:48 AM, trevorthegasman said:

Also remember meeting Reg King when he used to promote boxing there,stood next to the great Cassius Clay(as he was then) on his visit to promote his fight with Old Henry,he walked around the ring holding the NO 5 (for round Henry would go down) yes it all floods back,between you and me I have had a great life....

Reg king was a great friend of the family, he bought my fathers shop on st Ann's Well rd (101) and used to get me into the ice stadium for nothing. A very generous man, his son David would be a year or so younger than me, Reg would take us both to Redmayn and Tods to get toys,  sports gear or whatever we wanted. He mostly drove Rovers, with the number REG 2. Although he did try a Jay XJ6 once but quickly went back to Rovers. 

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Reg King used to promote the boxing evenings at the Albany Hotel. It was called ‘The International Sporting Club’. It was a dinner jacket affair with a meal prior to the fights and a comedian such as Bob Monkhouse  or   Bernard Manning - always big names. The bouts were conducted in silence with applause only allowed between the rounds. It always made for a good evening.

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