Skating in the Square opens at Brewery Square, Dorchester, on Saturday 28 November and runs to 9 January. Tickets are £15 a skater, up from £11.50 last winter.
Dorchester’s Christmas ice rink opens on Saturday 28 November and runs until Saturday 9 January 2027. Skating in the Square has published its dates and opened bookings for the season.
A ticket costs £15 a skater, whatever your age. That includes skate hire and the booking fee. Last winter the same ticket cost £11.50, so the price is up £3.50. Sessions are also longer this year, at 45 minutes rather than 40.
The rink is in Brewery Square, by the Odeon and opposite Fairfield car park. It opens on the same day as Brewery Square’s Christmas lights switch-on, which starts at 5pm.
When you can skate
The times below come from the rink’s booking system, read on 13 November. Sessions start on the half hour.
| Days | Sessions |
|---|---|
| Saturdays | 10.30am to 6.30pm, last session ends 7.15pm |
| Sundays | 10.30am to 4.30pm, last session ends 5.15pm |
| Tuesday to Friday, 1 to 18 December | Evenings only: 4.30pm, 5.30pm and 6.30pm |
| Mondays 30 November, 7 and 14 December | Closed |
| Monday 21 to Wednesday 23 December | Every day, 10.30am to 6.30pm |
| Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve | 10.30am to 4.30pm |
| Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Year’s Day | Closed |
| 27 to 30 December, 2 to 4 January | Daytime sessions, as at weekends |
| Tuesday 5 to Friday 8 January | Evenings only, as before Christmas |
| Saturday 9 January | Last day, 10.30am to 6.30pm |
Each session takes up to 45 skaters. On Saturday 28 November, the opening day, nine sessions are on sale.
What it means for you
- Book ahead for the weekends. The rink says booking online is advised. Tickets can be bought on the day if there is space, and walk-up skaters are asked to sign a disclaimer.
- Arrive 15 minutes early for skate fitting. Gloves must be worn on the ice, whatever the weather.
- Children 8 and under must have an adult (over 16) with them on the ice. Children aged 9 to 12 must be supervised on or off the rink.
- Skates run from a child’s size 9 to an adult size 13. There is no minimum age, and free Polar Bear skate aids are left on the ice, first come, first served.
- Wheelchairs are welcome on the rink, its information page says.
The ice is synthetic. The rink says it uses “very high-quality synthetic ice with a secret glide enhancer” and runs with no chillers or generators.
For an evening session, Dorset Council’s car parks stop charging at 6pm, Fairfield included.
The nearest real ice
If you would rather skate on real ice, both Bournemouth rinks have confirmed their seasons. SKATE Bournemouth in the Lower Gardens is open until 3 January, with adult tickets at £16.50 plus a £2 booking fee. Cool Coast at the Bournemouth International Centre opens on 28 November and runs to 21 February, with adult tickets from £14. Prices, rules and the full comparison are on our Dorchester ice rink page.
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