THE ice rink which has attracted thousands of skaters at Christmas is not coming back to Huddersfield.

Council chiefs have pulled the plug on the Piazza attraction, despite previous claims it brings business into the town centre.

They say they cannot justify the costs of staging the ice rink over Christmas and the New Year, with costs running into six figures, at a time of budget constraints.

Chubby wrote: “So now the council no longer want the monopoly on ice skating in town, will they give planning permission to the private operator who wants to open up a permanent rink down Leeds Road?”

Magdale added: “If KMC also cut back on gritting the roads this coming winter, perhaps there will be enough ice on them for people who miss the ice rink to have some fun for free. Winners all round.”

Scottbrown_14 was glad to see the back of the ice rink plans: “I’m pleased about this. The Piazza used to be a nice place to sit in springtime and have something to eat on the steps.

“You couldn’t do this in recent years because the rink left it ‘ground under repair’, to borrow a golfing term.

“Ice skating has been shown to be popular in the local area so a firm is likely to build one now to satisfy demand.

“Then we can all skate without ruining a nice, rare patch of grass in the town centre.”

Michaela was surprised about the lack of skating facilities in the town: “I’ve always been quite baffled to why Huddersfield doesn’t have one. There’s plenty of places for one.

“And I am glad too to hear it won’t be in town any more. I love sitting on the steps to have my dinner and the mucky floors just aren’t appealing!”

RichardP believes in these straitened times that the ice rink is a luxury we can’t afford: “If it cost £150,000 to be there and only had an income of £50,000 it is pretty easy to see that it is costs far too much!

“If home care is being stopped, and you no longer have free garden refuse collections, saving £100,000 on something that does not pay is simply a no-brainer! Get rid!

“As for the £700,000 it is supposed to bring to Huddersfield that is no help for those who people who can’t afford to pay for food or utilities!”