IT'S the most comprehensive survey ever conducted into what the people of Southampton really want to see in their city.

Is it definitely an ice rink? Or would you rather see a water theme park, a nationally-renowned maritime centre, a concert venue or something else instead?

To find out, the Daily Echo interviewed 1,000 people in various locations including the city centre, Bedford Place and Shirley to produce a fascinating wish-list which is sure to spark fresh debate across Southampton.

Interviewees were first asked if the city really required an ice rink in the wake of another failed bid to return a rink to the city after an absence of almost 19 years.

The long-standing rink at Banister Park closed in 1988 despite the best efforts of campaigners and this paper to save it.

There was a resounding "yes" vote - some 72.2 per cent- which will lift the spirits of ice rink campaigners who have long argued there is widespread public support for a rink.

It also raises questions as to whether the new Tory Cabinet was right this week to reject an offer from a developer to build a 1,200-seater ice rink as part of an £80m scheme on a vacant plot of land in St Mary's Road.

However, the poll also reveals the majority of surveyed people would actually favour other attractions in the city rather than an ice rink.

Indeed, given a menu of six suggestions, while 45.3 per cent ticked the ice rink box, 54.7 per cent opted for one of the other options - a "Splashdown-style water park" like the one in Poole, a national standard maritime museum, a community sports arena, a concert/conference centre or another attraction.

Of these non-ice rink options, the water park topped the poll with over one in four of all those surveyed suggesting such an attraction.

Yet the ice rink nonetheless topped the poll - 453 out of the 1,000 voted for it - leaving Kerry Payne, chairman of the Southampton Ice Dance and Figure Skating Club, in no doubt the city is crying out for one.

He said: "Of course the city needs an ice rink because of what it offers - the opportunity to get fit, socialise and bring all classes of people together."

But Mr Payne said he has pretty much thrown in the towel.

"If something doesn't get sorted soon it's pointless carrying on as a club. It's very difficult.

"Rather than charging around the country we might as well join other clubs."

Mr Payne added he was even considering a motion to end the club at its annual general meeting in November if no progress was made by the council.

Meanwhile Natalie Murphy, an ice skater who set up a website in tribute to the now defunct Southampton Vikings Ice Hockey Team, is similarly keen to see the return of a rink.

Her website has been visited by thousands around the world.

"It was a devastating blow when we lost the ice rink," she said. "The way it closed was disgusting."

Ms Murphy, who kept a brick from the rubble (pictured), said: "Ice skating is still synonymous with Southampton. Southampton was always known for an ice rink and people from all over the region would come to Southampton. I think the potential is massive and it would make a lot of money."

She added: "It would even take the shine off Saints football club - it would be that popular.

Ms Murphy said she couldn't understand why the council had not got its act together to help deliver an ice rink.

Councillor John Hannides, the new Tory Cabinet member for leisure and culture, says he is committed to bringing an ice rink to the city.

An ice rink is one of his priorities alongside the possible privatisation of leisure centre management and a new heritage centre at the Civic Centre.

He said rather than messing around with yet more council studies he was finalising two or three sites to offer to the market.

Cllr Hannides said he hoped he would be "considerably down the road" to having a shortlist of operators by the first quarter of next year. Talks would begin in the next few months once the sites were cleared with third parties.

But one marketing manager for a leading ice rink operator, who wished to remain anonymous, cautioned accepting a public vote without considering the realities and costs of running a rink.

"It's one thing to build an ice rink and there will always be someone ready to build it. But it's another thing to make sure it's successful.

"You don't want something ending up as a virtual bowling alley after a few years.

"It's not just a question of does a local community want an ice rink. There is always a lack of leisure facilities. Having said that, Southampton is appealing geographically."

He added many rinks had shut down on the south coast because councils were "not very good at running them".

And many ice rink management teams were also struggling despite ice skating being at its most popular in a decade, although far below its eighties heyday, he said.

The number of rinks in the country has decreased from more than 100 to 67.

Consultants commissioned by Southampton City Council have also reported a resurgence in both ice skating and ice rink development in the past two years, helped by new construction techniques and TV shows such as Dancing On Ice.

Yet there is also a need to fund other sporting facilities in Southampton.

The lack of top-class athletic facilities and an Olympic swimming pool are obvious deficiencies in the city's leisure assets which also hinder its attractiveness as a 2012 Olympic training camp.

The Splashdown-style water park and community sport arena were interestingly second and third on the list behind an ice rink in the Echo poll.

Mike Smith, chairman of Team Southampton athletic club, who coached Olympic runner Iwan Thomas, pictured, said while the city had a running track the surrounding facilities were "not very good", with very limited seating and athletes having to use Portakabins.

"I would not argue the ice rink is not the number one priority but there are other big priorities which the council ought to develop," he said. "Athletics is a long way behind other cities."

Mr Smith said Southampton effectively had a decent summer training track but nothing for the winter indoor season or to host large events.

David Rose of Tourism South East added: "We would welcome the return of an ice rink to Southampton as part of the city's tourism offer and as a leisure attraction for the local community.

"Such developments can improve the overall visitor offer, attract increased numbers of day visitors and potentially host major events."