IRCW: FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Welcome to our FAQ page, where we’ve compiled answers to the most common questions about Ice Rink Canary Wharf. Whether you’re planning your visit, curious about our facilities, or need help with booking, you’ll find all the essential information here. If you can’t find what you’re looking for, don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly.
Top 3 FAQ
Skaters are welcome to bring their own skates, please note this will not alter the price of your ticket. Speed Skates are not permitted on the ice, and organisers reserve the right not to allow a person to use their own skates if they decide that they are not suitable. We do not sharpen personal ice skates.
For safety reasons, all children between the ages of 4-12 must be accompanied by a skater who is 13 years old or over. There is no height restriction to skate, however, we recommend hiring a skate aid for children to help them find their feet on the ice. For more information about hiring skate aids, please visit our Ice Skating Aids.
Sessions & Tickets
Yes, whether you want to master a Biellmann spin or just learn to stand up – individual ice skating lessons on specific sessions, should be available from December, subject to availability with our dedicated British Ice Skating Association (formally known as NISA) qualified coaches. Details and booking information will be available from October 2024. If you have not found the information that you are looking for here, please Contact Us.
Concession tickets are available to recipients of Universal Credit, Pension Credit, full-time students, NHS or Emergency Services workers and disabled visitors claiming Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
The concessionary rate is 15% off full price tickets on all sessions, a unique code is now published on the ticketing page.
Concession ticket holders will be requested to present their proof of eligibility on entering the rink, or at the customer service desk if buying their ticket on-site. You will be charged the difference if you arrive at your session without proof of eligibility.
If a disabled skater needs to be accompanied onto the ice by a carer, then the carer skates for free. To book a carer ticket or if you have any other questions regarding disabled guests (visible or non-visible disabilities), please visit our contact page and, from the contact form, select our Special Needs Department. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
Our ‘Off Peak’ sessions are often quieter than our ‘Peak’ sessions, so please bear this in mind when booking your tickets.
Unfortunately we are not issuing Gift Vouchers this season, due to the credit laws that accompany this type of purchase.
Yes, of course, you can purchase tickets on the day. Please note that tickets are only available to buy online, and we run a cashless business, so please do not offer cash to any staff member.
We will likely be very busy during the season, so to avoid disappointment, we recommend booking in advance, through our website.
No, you can download it, and we can scan it from your smartphone.
To book for a group of 20 or more, simply book online as normal and the relevant discount will be applied to your booking.
If your child requires a skate aid (Penguin or Snowman), head to the customer service desk; otherwise, you can go straight to the scanning point and into the skate exchange to get your skates on. Our system will allow you to enter up to 30 minutes before the start of your session. If you are earlier than 30 minutes, please feel free to visit The Oasis Bar & Terrace for refreshments and watch the other skaters.
The Ice Rink Canary Wharf 2024/25 season will run from Saturday 26th October 2024 to Sunday 23rd February 2025 inclusive.
We operate one timetable throughout the 2024/2025 season, and there are 13 sessions per day, each session runs for a duration of 45 minutes.
Peak & Off Peak Times
- First session: 09:00
- Last session: 21:00
Please note that our peak times are in operation during bank and school holidays, Wednesday to Friday from the 18:00 sessions until close, and at weekends. Our off-peak times are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – Friday from 09:00 – 17:45 outside of bank and school holidays.
We reserve the right to alter our timings as and when necessary, so if you are not pre-booking your ticket, you are advised to check with us first, before arriving, as we may have some sessions blocked off for exclusive hire, especially Monday-Wednesday 9-11am (Off Peak) due to our Free Schools Program.
Public ticket sales launch on Monday, 9th September 2024, with our first session commencing at 09:00 on Saturday, 26th October 2024.
Skate Party Marshals are for children’s skate parties of up to 8 children; you can book for a Skate Party Marshal over the phone or by contacting the Customer Service team at [email protected] or once we are open at the Customer Service office. The Party Marshal will be on hand to give hints and tips to the group on how to skate safely, and they’ll be on hand to support the less confident skaters and ensure you have a super time on the ice. An adult will be required to accompany children on the ice as per our Ts & Cs. One Adult can supervise up to 6 children. The cost of a Party Marshal is £44.95
In a Skate Buddy session, one of our talented Skate Marshals will help you with the basics of ice skating on a 1-2-1 or 1-2-2 basis. Supporting you with building your confidence on the ice and showing you how magical ice skating can be. The Skate Buddy sessions can be booked for up to two adults or two children per Skate Buddy. An adult will be required to accompany children on the ice as per our Ts & Cs. One Adult can supervise up to 6 children. The cost of a Skate Buddy is £39.95
Skate Buddies and Party Marshals can be booked over the phone by calling 0207 418 2423 or via email at [email protected] or in person once we are open at the Customer Service office. The bookings should be made at the same time or after booking your Skate tickets and at least 1 week before your Skate session, to ensure we have enough staff to cover the roles.
Refunds & Ticket Transfers
You will be unable to transfer your booked session time. If any session is cancelled or curtailed, ticket holders will be offered an alternative session (subject to availability). In the unlikely event that the venue manager deems it necessary to close the rink, alternative sessions will be offered subject to availability.
We do not offer refunds on any purchased tickets. If any session is cancelled or curtailed, ticket holders will be offered an alternative session (subject to availability). In the unlikely event that the venue manager deems it necessary to close the rink, alternative sessions will be offered subject to availability. If you have been removed from the ice rink or venue for inappropriate behaviour, you will not be offered a refund or an alternative session.
More FAQs
Yes, there are a number of shopping malls close by with many popular retailers and restaurants, please visit www.canarywharf.com/shops-services for more details.
There are no toilets on site this season, but plenty in the Canary Wharf Malls. So you’ll need to take your skates off and put on your shoes. The nearest toilets are sign posted over by Waitrose entrance. Please visit the Customer Services office or ask a member of staff if you need help locating them.
We are proud members of the Ice Rink Managers Association (IRMA), and we subscribe to and follow the guidance of the British Ice Skating and The Purple Guide
You can take photographs for personal use; for health and safety reasons, selfie sticks, large cameras, video cameras or audio recording devices are not allowed on the ice. The use of tripods is not permitted anywhere on-site for safety reasons.
Should you have professional filming and photography enquiry, please be aware prior approval is required in writing from the Ice Rink Canary Wharf Marketing team, and a permit has been granted.
Should you wish to make a professional film or photography enquiry pertaining to Ice Rink Canary Wharf or The Grandstand Bar, please complete the filming application form.
Please Note: Due to the high number of enquiries we receive, each request will take at least 48 hours for the team to review upon receiving the filming application form.
Skaters are welcome to bring their own skates, please note this will not alter your ticket price. Speed Skates are not permitted on the ice, and organisers reserve the right not to allow a person to use their own skates if they decide that they are not suitable. We do not sharpen personal ice skates.
Please check your tickets to make sure that they are for the correct date and time, and that you have the correct number of tickets.
If the date, time or quantity are not what you expected, please contact us as soon as possible on (0)207 418 2423, quoting your reference number.
Please note our phone is only available during business hours from 26th October 2024. Please be advised that during peak times, our lines are extremely busy, and it may be quicker for you to contact the team via our Contact Us form.
Canary Wharf has 6,000 car parking spaces of which 2,500 are in public car parks; pedal and motorcycle parking is also available at several locations.
Canary Wharf has four underground public car parks, three of which lead directly into Cabot, Canada and Jubilee Place shopping malls.
- Canada Square Car Park: Entrance on Montgomery Street (use E14 5EW for sat nav); this entrance is the closest to Ice Rink Canary Wharf
- Cabot Square Car Park: Entrance on Cooks Close (use E14 4AP for sat nav)
- Jubilee Place Car Park: Entrance on Bank Street (use E14 5NY for sat nav)
- Westferry Circus Car Park: Entrance on West India Avenue (use E14 4HD for sat nav)
Designated bays are available for disabled drivers and parents with children.
There is a height restriction of 2.0m in all car parks and all of the public car parks at Canary Wharf hold Park Mark safer parking awards.
All car parks are cashless, and will not accept cash payments. Please note the use of a debit/credit card or contactless method will need to be used to pay for your parking session.
Yes, make the most of your visit to Canary Wharf by joining us at The Oasis Bar & Terrace, which has been transformed into an alpine-themed ‘apre-ski bar’ the perfect location for your pre or post skate beverages. Warm up with an indulgent hot chocolate, or sip an ice cold beer & sample wines from around the world. It’s the perfect spot to warm up or cool down after your ice skating experience.
Wheelchair users have full access to the venue and manual wheelchair access to the ice rink. For all electric wheelchairs or other requirements, please contact us prior to your visit for more information.
We also host dedicated wheelchair user sessions at Ice Rink Canary Wharf, the tickets for these are already available on our website.
Please note that wheelchair users must be accompanied on the ice by a competent skater – the accompanying carer skates for free. To book a carer ticket or if you have any other questions with regards wheelchair users, please email [email protected] and we will get back to you as soon as possible.
For safety reasons, all children between the ages of 4-12 must be accompanied by an adult/teen skater who is 13 years old or over.
There is no height restriction to skate; however, we recommend hiring a skate aid for children. Hire a Penguin for children up to 1.2m in height to help them find their feet on the ice. Hire a Snowman for children 1.2m – 1.5m to help them stay steady on the ice. For health and safety reasons, Skate Aids are not permitted for use for anyone over the height of 1.5m.
For more information about Ice Skating Aids please visit our dedicated page.
There’s little chance of general bad weather cancelling play with our magnificent roof, lit up by the glow of our magnificent lighting display and our shimmering giant mirror ball, so come rain or shine, the British weather won’t stop this year’s fun winter day out. We want you to be able to enjoy your skate in all weather conditions; the rink is covered to enable this; however, in extreme weather conditions, we may have to close for safety reasons.
If your child requires a skate aid (Penguin or Snowman), then head to the Customer Service office; otherwise, you can go straight to the scanning point and then into the skate exchange to get your skates on.
Ensure all belongings are secured in the lockers provided, and make your way to the scanning point, presenting your confirmation email with your unique QR code. Please arrive in good time to avoid queueing before you pick up your skates.
Our system will allow you to enter up to 30 minutes before the start of your session. If you are earlier than 30 minutes, head to The Oasis Bar & Terrace for all your favourite winter warmers and refreshments and watch the other skaters.
Should you have any questions, you can speak to one of our team members or head to the Customer Service office inside the Skate Exchange.
Skate boot hire is free and included in your ticket price.
To make your visit as enjoyable as possible, we recommend that your clothing is suitable for your time on the ice and the weather. We advise wearing trousers or tracksuit bottoms as these will dry quicker than denim if you get wet. Please bring long socks, a warm waterproof jacket, gloves and a hat ready for action on the ice.
Ice Rink Canary Wharf reserves the right not to allow customers to wear impractical clothing or fancy dress on the ice rink if they decide it may cause a risk to themselves or others.
Please make sure you arrive at the ice rink at least 25 minutes before your skating session is due to start. This will allow enough time to get the correct size skates and store your personal belongings. During busy periods (Monday to Friday after 17:00 and Saturday & Sunday after 12:00), we recommend arriving up to 30 minutes before your session starts.
If you arrive late, you will be allowed on the ice, but you may not have your entire skating session and can only stay for the remainder of your booked session.
Please note that all sessions are 45 minutes.
Tickets are only valid for the date and session time booked. Tickets are not transferable or refundable.
Please note that no bags are permitted on the ice, so we encourage you to only bring the essentials with you. All bags (handbags, rucksacks, man-bags, purses etc.) must be placed in the lockers provided.
You will be able to use a £1.00 coin in our lockers. If you don’t have a £1.00 coin for the lockers, you can purchase a locker token via credit/debit card for £1.00 at the entrance or at Customer Services. Please note that the token is non-refundable, and only Ice Rink Canary Wharf locker tokens can be used in the lockers – generic tokens from supermarkets etc. will not work.
Please do not bring large baggage or valuable items to Ice Rink Canary Wharf as they will not fit into a locker, and we can not store them anywhere onsite. Ice Rink Canary Wharf accepts no responsibility for personal belongings.
Code of Conduct
Ice skating is a sport with inherent risks. Guests skate at their own risk.
Tickets are non-exchangeable and non-refundable.
Ticket holders under the influence of alcohol will not be permitted on the rink.
For more information please visit our Code of Conduct Page.
We reserve the right to refuse entry to and/or ask people to leave the event in reasonable circumstances, including without limitation for health and safety or licensing reasons, if you behave in a manner which has or is likely to affect the enjoyment of other persons at the event; if you use threatening, abusive or insulting words or mannerisms; if, in our reasonable opinion, you are acting under the influence of alcohol or drugs; if you are unable, when required, to produce proof of identity or age; if you don’t listen to our staff; if you breach these terms; or if your ticket is void.