Rinks proving an ice little earner as winter pastime enjoys boom in popularity SKATING fever has gripped the south, with a huge increase in the number of people using the ice rinks across the region.

In Winchester alone figures show that more than 42,000 tickets were sold for the rink at the cathedral this year - up 5,000 on the year before.

It comes as ice skating reaches new levels of popularity with the celebrity TV programme Dancing on Ice, hosted by Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, and starring singer Suzanne Shaw and ice dancers Torvill and Dean.

The rink in Winchester was operated over December and January by a company run by Robin Cousins, the Olympic gold medallist who is a judge on the Sunday night television show.

It was one of a number of temporary rinks across the south.

In Bournemouth, the International Centre has announced that its temporary ice rink will have an extended run until Sunday, February 24.

Southampton is hoping to cash in on the skating phenomenon and has already organised a rink for this year.

There was no rink in Southampton last Christmas because in 2006 it attracted only half of the 40,000 skaters it needed to break even, leaving the city council with a loss of £60,000.

Meanwhile Winchester is celebrating the success of its attractions over Christmas. An estimated 250,000 people passed through the cathedral precinct in December and January, many attracted by the German-style market.

That figure compared to 200,000 in the same period 12 months earlier.

Canon Roly Riem, canon pastor and missioner, said: "The cathedral was delighted to welcome so many adults and children to services, its new family service, to the ice rink and Christmas market in The Close."

Both the ice rink and the German market now appear cemented into the Winchester calendar.

Adrian Munns, receiver general, said: "We are looking at the details for 2008 and we plan to be in partnership with Cousins Entertainment. We hope to be able to announce more details in due course."

"We have no plans to expand the size of the Christmas market in 2008. However, the composition is always open to review and the aim remains to provide the best possible market to draw people to Winchester."