What Planet Ice does

Planet Ice is a private UK leisure company operating the largest dedicated ice rink network in Europe, with 14 venues across England under a unified brand. The company was founded around 1996 (legal entity IMPUK) and is headquartered in Altrincham, serving approximately 1 million in-person customers per year plus roughly 500,000 weekly online interactions. Its portfolio spans public skating sessions, the Skate Excellence lesson curriculum (from toddler Ice Penguin classes through Level 10 and BIS-aligned advanced programs), Hockey Excellence, patch practice sessions for advanced figure skaters, birthday parties, corporate and venue hire, and a touring Christmas show production (Music & Magic On Ice). Food and beverage operations run on-site at all rinks under branded supply partnerships with Pepsi, Doritos, Kopparberg, and Galaxy.

The company's technology footprint centers on the Ice Account web/mobile platform, which handles session and course booking, membership management, gift voucher sales, and customer accounts, supported by GoCardless for direct-debit recurring billing and Google's address-autocomplete API in checkout. The booking system is described as web-based and integrated across all 14 rinks rather than as a differentiated technology platform; there is no disclosed AI capability, mobile app, or public API. Additional integrations include the Nimbus Access Card partnership enabling complimentary companion tickets for disabled guests. The technology is operational rather than productized and exists primarily to support high-volume, per-transaction consumer activity.

Planet Ice earns revenue through a mix of transactional, subscription, and service streams. Public sessions and birthday parties are priced per attendee (e.g., birthday packages at £22/child, public skate gift vouchers starting from £11.70), while lessons operate on either monthly direct-debit subscriptions (Learn to Skate from £52/month) or fixed-duration courses (6-week courses from ~£65-£86). The Ice Card Membership layer (£19.99/year individual, £60/year for four) provides a recurring anchor with discounts and cashback via the Planet Ice Rewards program, and the Patch Membership (£85/month) serves high-frequency advanced skaters. Venue hire, corporate team-building packages, gift voucher sales, and on-site F&B add incremental revenue per visit. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer through 14 physical locations plus the Ice Account site, with separate third-party ticketing for headline shows.

Name

Planet Ice

Legal name

IMPUK

Website

https://planet-ice.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1996

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Planet Ice operates Europe's largest dedicated ice leisure network — 14 UK rinks under one brand — offering public skating, structured Skate Excellence lessons, hockey programs, birthday parties, venue hire, and touring ice shows to roughly one million annual in-person customers across family, beginner, and advanced skater segments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ice Skating Leisure Facilities

NAICS

Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers (713940)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Ice Rinks & Winter Sports Facilities (MPAKAEAG)

Keywords

• Ice skating facilities
• Skating lessons
• Ice hockey programs
• Leisure venue memberships
• Birthday party packages

Headquarters

HQ city

Altrincham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices15 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ice Skating Sessions: Revenue from public ice skating sessions, disco sessions, stick and puck hockey sessions, and specialty sessions (penguin club, inclusive skating, home education). Sessions are booked online or at the rink with per-person pricing.
2. Lessons and Courses: Revenue from Learn to Skate courses, Hockey Excellence programs, small group lessons, synchro skating, Show & Skate, advanced lessons, and ice dance. Offered via direct debit monthly membership or fixed-duration courses (6, 5, or 4 weeks).
3. Membership Programs: Ice Card Membership provides £19.99/year individual or £60/year for Family & Friends (4 memberships). Membership offers discounts on sessions and courses, plus cashback rewards through Planet Ice Rewards partnership. Patch Membership offers unlimited patch ice access for £85/month.
4. Birthday Parties: All-inclusive birthday party packages priced at £22 per child, including skating session, skate hire, food, party host, and party area.
5. Venue and Corporate Hire: Revenue from venue hire for private events and corporate team-building packages, with food and drink options, meeting rooms, and exclusive ice hire available.
6. Gift Vouchers: Sale of gift vouchers for public skating, lessons, camps, and memberships. Vouchers provide one-time access to specified services.
7. Food and Beverage: On-site cafes at all rinks offering hot dogs, pizzas, snacks, hot drinks including Galaxy hot chocolate, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. Partnerships with branded suppliers including Pepsi, Doritos, Kopparberg, and others.
8. Patch Sessions: Dedicated practice sessions for figure skaters at Level 5+, available as pay-as-you-go (£10/session) or unlimited monthly membership (£85/month).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Planet Ice operates 14 ice rinks across the UK, providing year-round public ice skating sessions, structured skating lesson programs (Skate Excellence, Hockey Excellence, Ice Penguin, Synchro, Show & Skate), Patch practice sessions for advanced figure skaters, birthday party packages, corporate team building and venue hire, and on-site food and beverage. The company sells these services directly to consumers and corporate clients through its physical rinks and the Ice Account online booking platform.

Product overview

Planet Ice operates a network of 14 ice rinks across the UK, making it Europe's leading ice leisure operator. The company offers a unified platform combining public ice skating, structured lesson programs, and venue hire services. Core products include public ice skating sessions, Skate Excellence lesson courses (from toddler penguin classes through advanced levels), ice hockey programs (Hockey Excellence), and Patch Ice practice sessions for advanced figure skaters. Membership offerings center on the Ice Card Membership providing discounts and Planet Ice Rewards cashback. Additional services include birthday party packages, corporate event hire, venue hire, and on-site food and beverage. The company also operates a touring Christmas show program and hosts competitive events including ice dance competitions.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Public Ice Skating

Quantifiable outcome

• Ice Card members saved over £119,887.20 on public skating sessions and £78,940 on lessons in one year
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Peel WatersflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026Peel Waters is the developer and land owner for the TraffordCity development where Planet Ice will operate a new 3,000-capacity ice arena. This is a flagship partnership for Planet Ice's expansion in the North West, representing one of their largest venues. Peel Waters is clearing the site to enable future leisure developments at TraffordCity.
• ICITIESflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026ICITIES is the development partner working with Peel Waters on the TraffordCity arena project. ICITIES designed the arena combining professional ice facilities with flexible spaces for non-ice events. The design includes approximately 20,000 sq ft of ancillary space for complementary food, beverage, and leisure facilities.
• Nimbus Access CardcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership provides Essential Companion Ticket program - complimentary admission for carers/essential companions of disabled guests. Customers with Access Card showing '+1' or '+2' symbols receive free companion tickets.
• Exclusive MediacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership delivers Planet Ice Rewards program offering cashback and voucher codes from over 4,000 high street retailers. Exclusive benefit for Ice Card members, providing additional value proposition for membership subscription.
• Inclusive SkatingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Inclusive Skating organization to deliver Inclusive Skate Excellence lessons for skaters of all ages with disabilities. Joint program designed for beginners of all abilities and learning styles.
• Manchester StormcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerElite ice hockey team (EIHL) has been operating at Altrincham Ice Rink. Will become anchor tenant at new TraffordCity Arena. Planet Ice and Manchester Storm had communication disputes regarding the team's 2026/27 season plans, with Planet Ice stating they would 'pursue other opportunities' after lack of clarity.
• British Ice SkatingcoreOthersPlanet Ice's Skate Excellence curriculum aligns with British Ice Skating (BIS) test structures. Advanced lessons prepare skaters for BIS Level testing. Christmas show auditions require minimum BIS Level 4. Company supports BIS competitions and test days.
• Great Britain Ice HockeyminorOthersPlanet Ice Milton Keynes hosted Great Britain vs Italy international matches in April 2026 as part of GB's preparation for the World Championship. Future hosting of national team events strengthens community ties.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/IceRink_Hemel
• Facebookfacebook.com/planeticeuk/?locale=en_GB
• Instagraminstagram.com/planeticeuk/?hl=en
• TikToktiktok.com/@planeticeuk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/planet-ice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Planet Ice