Snow Centre

I am sure this will be blamed on Covid, but I am not sure this plan was ever sustainable.

I wonder how much this ill fated venture has cost local council tax payers and the public purse overall?
 
I’m all for thinking big and outside the box but the visitor figure projections seemed incredibly high to just break even and the company involved didn’t appear to have any connection with similar projects, I’m surprised it got the traction it did, I wonder if I formed a company with plans to build a space theme park, space research centre and the capabilities to launch rockets on the old British Steel site it would have a similar impact.
 
Last edited:
Snow centres have been extremely popular down here. The centres at Hemel Hempstead and Milton Keynes are doing ok even in these times as it’s the only winter sports fix people will get. I know nothing of projected costs and numbers for the proposed Centre on Teesside but as a business it can and does work.
 
The visitor figures that they were quoting never stood up to scrutiny. They were basing everything on 2 million visitors a year.... that’s 5,500 people every single day, 365 days a year.

The “company” (and I use that term loosely considering it was one woman and her dad based out of a house) had done no firm research and had not checked the other snow centres in this country to see their visitor numbers ( Manchester gets a million a year at best)

They have taken the council for a ride and took a lot of money for developing an idea that was never workable.

Yet again a waste of tax payers money

The best thing to do is bin the idea completely and actually charge them with fraud
 
I’m all for thinking big and outside the box but the visitor figure projections seemed incredibly high to just break even and the company involved didn’t appear to have any connection with similar projects, I’m surprised it got the traction it did, I wonder if I formed a company with plans to build a space theme park, space research centre and the capabilities to launch rockets on the old British Steel sight it would have a similar impact.

Is it snow centres full stop that you say wont be a success or is it just that it wont be a success in Middlesbrough?

I think there is around 6 snow centers around the UK and they are all doing well.
 
But Rob said it was going ahead anytime it was brought up previously :rolleyes:
 
I thought the council had already approved the plans back in April and it was set to open in 2022?

Depends which opening date you give credit to:

July 2015
"The project would involve private investment in the region of £30m.​
It is said that the development is expected to be completed by late 2017 or early 2018."​
March 2017
Middlesbrough Council unanimously approves the planning application as it’s also revealed that the development will include an ice bar.​
It is reported that the multi-million pound investment in the facility is expected to be completed by late 2017 or early 2018.​
May 2017
Developers say the centre will be open for business by September 2019 if all goes to plan.​
January 2018
Cool Runnings (NE) announces construction will start on the attraction in September or October 2018 once the new bridge and link road are completed.​
March 2018
Cool Runnings, says construction work on the project - which is supported by Tees Valley Combined Authority - should begin by the end of the year, or early 2019, later than the earlier suggested date of autumn.​
December 2019
Construction is still yet to start on site.​
Teesside Live reports that work is due to start in summer 2019, with completion expected in winter 2020.​
February 2019
A revised opening date of Easter 2022 is announced as Cool Runnings (NE) says diggers will be in the ground by the end of April.​
March 2020
Details plans are approved.​
Delegated powers are used to give the plans the green light due to the coronavirus outbreak.​
Project leaders expect the centre to open in 2022.​


You've got to be careful on here as you will be attacked for 'wanting it to fail' or similar - this happened a lot on the old board.

Its not that - some of us simply dont think the plans stand up to scrutiny and are loathe to see public funds wasted on such ventures when there are causes across the region crying out for investment.

Its no different to saying hey, maybe this firm with no assets and no history of delivering PPE should be awarded a large government contract to do so.

Well, maybe this company with no trading history, no capital, and no discernible expertise, ostensibly run from someones house (at least it was registered there for the first few years), should be heading up a huge (for this area) project and receiving significant public funding to do so.
 
Depends which opening date you give credit to:

July 2015
"The project would involve private investment in the region of £30m.​
It is said that the development is expected to be completed by late 2017 or early 2018."​
March 2017
Middlesbrough Council unanimously approves the planning application as it’s also revealed that the development will include an ice bar.​
It is reported that the multi-million pound investment in the facility is expected to be completed by late 2017 or early 2018.​
May 2017
Developers say the centre will be open for business by September 2019 if all goes to plan.​
January 2018
Cool Runnings (NE) announces construction will start on the attraction in September or October 2018 once the new bridge and link road are completed.​
March 2018
Cool Runnings, says construction work on the project - which is supported by Tees Valley Combined Authority - should begin by the end of the year, or early 2019, later than the earlier suggested date of autumn.​
December 2019
Construction is still yet to start on site.​
Teesside Live reports that work is due to start in summer 2019, with completion expected in winter 2020.​
February 2019
A revised opening date of Easter 2022 is announced as Cool Runnings (NE) says diggers will be in the ground by the end of April.​
March 2020
Details plans are approved.​
Delegated powers are used to give the plans the green light due to the coronavirus outbreak.​
Project leaders expect the centre to open in 2022.​


You've got to be careful on here as you will be attacked for 'wanting it to fail' or similar - this happened a lot on the old board.

Its not that - some of us simply dont think the plans stand up to scrutiny and are loathe to see public funds wasted on such ventures when there are causes across the region crying out for investment.

Its no different to saying hey, maybe this firm with no assets and no history of delivering PPE should be awarded a large government contract to do so.

Well, maybe this company with no trading history, no capital, and no discernible expertise, ostensibly run from someones house (at least it was registered there for the first few years), should be heading up a huge (for this area) project and receiving significant public funding to do so.

Great post... and yes on the old board you were constantly shot down for suggesting it was pie in the sky... see my post further up for one of culprits.
 
It’s announcement from Andy Preston saying it’s not going to happen

was going to cost £40m, and the “business” wanted the council to stump up half of it
 
I wonder how much has alraedy been spent by the council both directly and indirectly?

Land purchase, infrastructure improvements, planning application reviews, environmental reports, legal costs etc. etc.
 
Back
Top