Many older Sotonians fondly remember skating at the ice rink in the Banister area.
Southampton’s very first ice rink was situated on Charles Knott’s Banister Stadium site just to the south of the speedway track. It was destroyed during the Blitz of 1940 and rebuilt on the same site in 1952.
Charles Knott (1890 - 1974) was a successful fish shop owner who branched out into property development. In the 1920s he acquired the Banister Court estate, demolished the house and built an ice rink, greyhound and speedway stadium complex, which opened in 1928.
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From 1936 it was the home of Southampton’s ice hockey team, the Vikings, and the Southampton Speed Skating Club. It also hosted ice dance and figure skating competitions.
In 1963 it was taken over by the Top Rank organisation and reopened in 1964 after a major refurbishment.
Despite protests and petitions it was closed down in 1988. Modern housing was built on the site with Charles Knott Gardens named after the man behind the ice rink. Some have hung onto the hope that a replacement ice rink will one day be built in Southampton.
The DJ’s at the ice rink were local celebrities from the 1960s onwards playing the hits of the day while you skated round. Bob Dene was one of the first and Tony Francis followed him.
DJ Mike Joyce would introduce the Southampton Vikings ice hockey team to Fanfare for the Common Man by Emerson, Lake and Palmer.
Mike only got started by chance in 1979 when he asked the DJ Tony Francis to play a record. Tony then asked him to keep an eye on the disco equipment while he went to the loo. They got talking and within a month Mike was working 7 sessions each week including all the weekends.
Mike had only gone to the ice rink to keep a friend company and wasn't even a good skater!
Bob Heather took over in the early 1980s and then Mike Joyce came back until 1985. The late Barry Sims then became the main DJ up to the closure of the rink in 1988.
Mike remembers that speed skating sessions were especially popular. He played fast songs such as Telstar by The Tornados, Nut Rocker by B Bumble and The Stingers, Jungle Rock by Hank Mizell, Sabre Dance by Love Sculpture, Silver Machine by Hawkwind, Paranoid by Black Sabbath, Let there be Drums by Sandy Nelson, Wipeout by The Surfaris and Ballroom Blitz by Sweet.
Sadly accidents and falls did happen such as when the DJ told skaters to reverse their direction. The St John’s Ambulance team were on hand to give the first aid required.
Slow love ballad skate sessions were equally popular and many a romance was started.
Mike started an early type of karaoke. He went onto the ice and sang along to On the Beach by Cliff Richard and The Shadows and a crowd of skaters gathered around.
After he left, Mike went on to become a mobile DJ for 38 years.
Since 2021 he has presented a popular show called Ice Rink Memories on Outreach Radio from 6pm-7pm on a Sunday.
Mike has helped organise four reunions with the first one at the Malvern pub in 2010. There were two more at the Bridge Tavern in Woolston and a recent one at the Empire Hall in Totton which may be the last one. On August 22, 2023, the ice rink will have been closed for 35 years and many have passed on. Promises for a new permanent rink have never materialised.
Also the Ice Dance & Figure Skating club that started in 1952 was finally closed in 2022. Club secretary Edna Boden said that “our greatest wish is that one day a permanent ice rink will be returned to the South Coast.”
Until then the temporary outdoor rink by the Western Walls at Westquay around Christmas time will have to suffice.
Martin Brisland is a tour guide with SeeSouthampton.co.uk .
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