Northampton Market Square on Ice skates off to a successful start

09 December 2025

Hundreds of people got their skates on to enjoy the first weekend of Northampton Market Square’s real ice rink, which is running throughout the Christmas and New Year period whatever the weather.

Over 1,500 people joined in the festive fun on the rink this Saturday and Sunday as the town centre thronged with shoppers only three weekends away from Christmas. Northampton Market Square on Ice opened to the public on Thursday (4 December) and runs until 4 January.

The ice rink is the festive focal point for the successfully redeveloped Market Square, which has been transformed into an exciting new space for a range of community events and activities. West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) has delivered the ice rink with support from Northampton BID and Northampton Town Council to boost footfall, encourage visitors to explore the town centre, and support local businesses, particularly in the approach to Christmas. Tickets are available now via The Old Savoy website. Early booking is encouraged to secure your preferred session time.

Spanning 14m x 22m, it has been designed and engineered by the specialist team behind ITV’s Dancing on Ice and London’s iconic Somerset House. Like other major festive skating events around the country, visitors can also enjoy festive hot drinks and quality cocktails at a fully licensed rink-side bar. Comprehensive safety risk assessments are in place for both the ice rink and bar with all skate staff SIA (Security Industry Authority) qualified and trained to assess whether someone is fit to skate.

It has been fantastic to see so many people take to the ice since the rink opened. The turnout over the weekend shows how much Northampton embraces a bit of festive fun.

The Market Square is the heart of our town centre and a major driver for bringing people in, supporting our market traders and local businesses, and strengthening our reputation as a destination. This investment is already helping boost footfall, encourage shoppers to spend locally and spread some much-needed Christmas cheer.

People told us they wanted something fun in the Market Square for Christmas, well here it is. So don’t be a bah humbug, come down, have a go and enjoy it.

Councillor James Petter, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Local Economy, Culture and Leisure at WNC

Alongside daily skating sessions, the programme features a packed calendar of festive activity:

Christmas Jumper Day - Thursday 11 December

Join us for Christmas Jumper Day and meet Santa on the ice for festive photos from 4pm to 6pm. We’ll also be donating a 20 percent of ticket sales to Save the Children, in support of their Christmas Jumper Day campaign. Wear your brightest knits and help us raise vital funds for a fantastic cause.

Carols on the Square - Saturday 13 December

A heart-warming afternoon full of festive performances from 2pm to 6pm, showcasing local choirs and singers, headlined by Britain’s Got Talent finalists Northants Sings Out and Northampton’s own Billy Lockett.

Student Takeover - Wednesday 17 December

A dedicated event for local & returning students to exclusively skate in the heart of the town. Live music and performances from student bands, with students able to skate for a special discounted rate of £7.50 with valid ID. Plus music and drinks offers throughout the evening.

Festive Family Day - Sunday 21 December

The perfect day to bring the entire family down for, where the ice rink will be in full swing along with a full day of FREE family-friendly activities, including face painting, balloon modelling, storytelling and more.

SEND-friendly Skating Sessions

Quiet, inclusive sessions will run as the first session of each day on 10, 17, 21, 28, 31 December and 4 January, at a discounted rate of £7.50 per ticket with parents/carers skating for free.

Santa’s Grotto will also be open every weekend throughout December in the Grosvenor Centre, with the Northampton BID Golden Ticket Giveaway running until 14 December offering shoppers the chance to win vouchers. A dedicated Christmas radio station from NLive Radio will also fill the town with festive tunes throughout the month. Tickets are available now via The Old Savoy website. Early booking is encouraged to secure your preferred session time.