Latest news with #NationalIceCentre
BBC News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Excitement ahead of Torvill and Dean farewell show
Fans were "excited" and "emotional" ahead of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's last ever ice skating Olympic gold medallists were set to skate together for one final time in Nottingham on Saturday, bringing their 50-year career to an end.A rink at the National Ice Centre was also officially named after them and a blue plaque marking their final performance was revealed on ahead of their final performance, Laura Affleck, 44, from Nottingham, said: "We have grown up watching them and we wanted to be here before they retire." Jane Derris-Timson, from Nuneaton in Warwickshire, said she could not wait for the "iconic day" to begin."I'm so excited I cant tell you," said Ms Derris-Timson. The 56-year-old said she had been a "big fan" ever since she watched the pair win gold at the 1984 Winter Olympics."I've seen them a few times before and I'm quite emotional to be here on the last day," she added."Their journey started here and they are national treasures. They've done a lot for Nottingham and the wider community." Usha Soni, 74, said she used to watch Torvill and Dean practice when she worked next to an ice rink in London."The ice rink used to give tickets out to our office and I was lucky enough to see them perform back then," said Ms Soni."I will be very happy for them and wish them the best of luck in the future."Ann Powell, 77, from West Bridgford, added: "I did see them perform soon after they won the Olympics many years ago, which was amazing. "They've had a really good career and I feel very lucky and special to be here."Ahead of his final performance, Christopher Dean said the pair would "always be a part of Nottingham", adding the city will always have a "special place" in their hearts.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
'How I helped Torvill and Dean 45 years ago'
Almost five decades ago, entertainment agent Tony Sherwood received a call asking if he could arrange a fundraising event for a "starry" pair of amateur figure skaters. That event - a cabaret variety show - raised money to help send Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean, and another ice skater, to the 1980 European Skating Championships. The duo came fourth and, four years later, Torvill and Dean would dance the Bolero in the 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo, becoming the highest-scoring figure skaters of all time for a single programme. The Olympic gold medallists are now preparing to skate together for one final time in Nottingham on Saturday, bringing their 50-year career to an end. Speaking to the BBC in their dressing room at the National Ice Centre, Dean said: "Tony helped us so much, really quietly in the background. "He didn't make a song and dance about it, but he put on some fundraisers to send us off the European and world championships." Torvill added: "It's just fantastic what he did to put on those shows - and the artists who gave their time and the generosity of the public who came and donated some money." Tony, now 80, still has the bright orange poster promoting the fundraiser held at the-then Gedling Miners Welfare in Mapperley in January 1980. "This is the show that started it off," he said. It forms part of a collection of memorabilia, including posters and photographs, which Tony said he had not shared with anyone for 45 years. He said his involvement had begun with a phone call from an ice skating coach called Mick Wild, who asked if he could use his showbusiness connections to put on some events to raise money for Torvill and Dean. He organised raffles and shows at social clubs and miners clubs, raising £4,500 in total. Tony said: "Nottingham's got a great history of sporting activity. "I'd explained to the artists, who gave their services free, that they would be helping someone who might become very, very successful. "It was an act of faith on their part, but they took a bit of persuading." Tony knew Brian Clough, who led Nottingham Forest to back-to-back European Cup victories in 1979 and 1980, and called him to see if he could help. He recalled Clough's response: "Young man, I can't send the team but I can send the European Cup." Those who attended the event had their photos taken with the cup and a letter kept by Tony shows that Clough also sent a cheque for £25. The money raised went towards the purchase of video camera equipment that was used by Torvill and Dean to improve their rehearsals. Reflecting on the fundraising events he organised and the support they gave to the duo, Tony said he felt "very proud". "Now that they are world famous, there's no other act, no other skaters like Torvill and Dean and I'm very proud to be involved with them," he added. Torvill and Dean unveiled a newly-updated tram in their name on Tuesday to celebrate their career. A rink at the National Ice Centre was also officially named after them and a blue plaque marking their final performance was revealed. Looking ahead to their last show, Dean said: "We want it to be a celebration, it's not a sad occasion, for us it's full circle. "This is where we started in Nottingham, this is sacred ground for us." Follow BBC Nottingham on Facebook, on X, or on Instagram. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@ or via WhatsApp on 0808 100 2210. Torvill and Dean honoured in their home city Torvill and Dean to dance together for final time Watch: Torvill and Dean perform Bolero 40 years on How to cook up an Olympic-winning routine
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Record year for Nottingham arena after 'challenging' period
Nottingham's largest events venue is experiencing a "record year" for sales, its chief executive has follows a "challenging" period for the National Ice Centre and Motorpoint Arena which was closed for 18 months during the Covid 2024-25 financial year also saw a "disproportionately high number" of cancelled and postponed shows, some of which have been reorganised for the current year."When you have a postponement even of a few months, if that moves into a different financial year then that leaves a big hole," chief executive Martin Ingham told the BBC. "It's very difficult for the rest of the business to be able to react to fill those gaps because ultimately those are our big revenue generators." The venue, which is owned by Nottingham City Council, marked the 25th anniversary of its opening on the same day, Mr Ingham provided an update on its business performance to the council's Companies Governance Executive told councillors the company made 19 redundancies in the past year in an attempt to improve its financial position, and a further 10 vacancies were removed."That cost-cutting exercise enabled us to turn around the financial expectations of the year to the point where we are looking at a break-even or small loss for the year," he venue is also considering automating some roles to further mitigate costs, with "e-bars" at which customers pour their own drinks being Ingham said sales for 2025-26 had been helped by events such as six Peter Kay shows and fixtures for the new Nottingham Forest netball added that increases in ticket prices across the entertainment industry did not appear to be discouraging customers, despite concerns over the cost of living."We'd all like tickets to be cheaper, for sure. Is there a concern it's going to put people off? The evidence so far shows no it's not," he said."I think what's happening is people are placing more value on the experience of going to see their favourite artist and maybe utilising that instead of having a weekend break somewhere." He warned, however, that increases to employer National Insurance contributions and the minimum wage, both introduced by the government from 1 April, have created uncertainty for the business."The cost of employing people is going up. We employ a lot of casual staff on the National Minimum Wage," he said."We've modelled the impact, but I think until we get well into the financial year we won't fully understand the costs, but it's significant."The council loaned the arena more than £7m to keep it afloat during the pandemic, which will be paid back in instalments from Ingham praised the authority for its financial backing, and said the arena had contributed more than £1bn to the local economy since it opened.
