'Disgusting and unacceptable state' of popular Kent park after ice rink attraction is slammed by resident

The "disgusting and unacceptable state" a popular park in Tunbridge Wells has been left in after a long-running Christmas attraction has been slammed by a resident.

Tunbridge Wells Skate in Calverley Grounds has been running for 13 years and attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually. It includes a large ice rink, a Bavarian curling rink, a marquee with food and drink, a big wheel introduced in 2023, and a carousel added this year.

Organised by Tunbridge Wells Borough Council, the festive crowd-puller ran from November 29 to January 5. It's held in the council-owned park in the heart of Tunbridge Wells town centre, a treasured green space surrounded by residential and shopping streets.

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But the now muddy and waterlogged park has been photographed by long-term nearby resident Peter Vincent, who is disgusted by the damage caused by vehicles, plant, the fairground rides and other structures.

As we reported in November last year, resident Martin Skinner had urged the borough council not to go ahead with having a carousel, because of the damage it would cause.

He flagged up the continuing bad state of the ground after the giant wheel had been in place the previous Christmas.

Mr Skinner said the historic drainage issue of that area had been exacerbated by the soil being "compacted" by the weight of aluminium sheeting, the wheel itself, and associated plant. He warned a carousel would cause the "same destructive outcome".

This week Mr Vincent told us: "KentLive wrote about Dunorlan Park being in a state after use (by Oktoberfest in October): Calverley Grounds is more central and is now left in a disgusting and unacceptable state, not only for the people who use it but for those who have businesses linked to it. It is also surrounding a national memorial at the entrance."

"The council's chief executive needs to see it for himself and ask why after last year's (state), as well as the flooding events this year, prior to the rink construction, no changes were made to how things were done?"

Mr Vincent said the park was left in a sorry state after the 2023 Christmas event, but it was worse for the 2024/2025 event, because it had been "wetter".

"So what about reforming the so called 'five years' contract', to leave the front alone and up the plates and remove them, allowing the grass to at least have a chance?" he said.

He said these preventative measures to let the land rest were "more so" needed now as "we are in a different climate state of more rain".

He said he believed the reason for the sheeting in the ground was not to protect public safety, as there were no more "safety risks" to people now as when the attraction started, but because Skate Tunbridge Wells had grown to a "fairground that is more than the ice rink".

"The problem is, who pays for the damage? And how soon is it repaired ? And should, in view of the changed weather pattern, this extra part be allowed?" said Mr Vincent.

The council told KentLive, in a wider statement published below, money was allocated for "reinstatement work after the ice rink season finishes".

KentLive reported in October last year that a carousel would be an added attraction for the family event for the first time during Christmas 2024. At that council planning meeting where permission was sought, former councillor and nearby resident of the park, Nick Pope, who is also a trustee of Friends of Calverley Grounds, managed to get the council to attach additional information to the approval, which was that remediation works would be done sooner.

'Remediation work early'

He told us this week: "It is important that the council or contractor starts the remediation work early to ensure the ground is levelled and aerated in preparation for sowing grass later, in spring, as I requested at the planning committee meeting for the addition of the carousel."

A spokesperson for Tunbridge Wells Borough Council said: "Skate TW with its associated attractions set in the beautiful, award-winning Calverley Grounds brings a lot of pleasure to a lot of people over the festive season."

"Funds and resources are allocated to the project for reinstatement work after the ice rink season finishes. This happens as soon as the weather conditions permit and this year will include re-seeding and rolling the area to firm the surface and remove any remaining tyre marks."

'Storm Darragh and the general weather'

"Storm Darragh and the general weather conditions this year were not ideal and going forward we will be exploring possible solutions to any future flooding."

We also reported in September 2023, that the borough council would be adding a 22m high Happy Wheel, which is a giant wheel or observational wheel. Fifty-six people can ride on it at once.

As KentLive reported in March 2023, the future of the much-loved ice rink was in jeopardy, amid rising energy costs and the expense of dealing with antisocial behaviour.

A report going before Tunbridge Wells Borough Council revealed 2022's event made "losses". The attraction at that time saw the park transformed with the arrival of the two rinks, the cafe and bar, wooden huts, lights and projections, and a Father Christmas grotto.