BRISTOL'S ice rink is to close its doors to the public this autumn after more than 45 years, the Evening Post can reveal.

The Frogmore Street rink has long been one of the most popular attractions in the city centre and is also home to the Bristol Pitbulls ice hockey team.

The news was broken to staff at the ice rink on Tuesday and the centre is expected to close in October when work will start on converting the building into student flats.

John Nike, the Berkshire-based businessman who currently operates the ice rink, has said there is a possibility a new rink could be built in south Bristol. He wants to build hundreds of homes close to the park and ride in Stockwood and the development could include a £10 million ice rink.

The refurbishment, which is being carried out by student accommodation specialist Unite, will not affect the neighbouring O2 Academy music venue.

The ice rink was originally opened in 1966 and is famous for its connections with Olympic champion Robin Cousins. Cousins grew up in Sea Mills and started learning to skate as soon as the rink opened. His career highlight came 14 years later when he won a gold medal at the Winter Olympics in New York.

The complex originally boasted a ballroom, nightclub, bingo hall, banqueting rooms and amusement arcade but most of the centre closed down in the early 1990s. A successful campaign was launched to save the ice rink and Mr Nike stepped in to take on the business.

He said: "We have been in talks with Unite for 12 months over this issue because the lease was coming to an end. I took over the ice rink in the early 1990s because we wanted a foothold in the city and we had plans for an NEC-style centre in Stockwood. The council wanted the centre to be in Hengrove which was always a non-starter as far as I was concerned so that idea never got off the ground."

He added: "I currently own 140 acres of green belt land next to the park and ride in Stockwood and along with Crest Nicholson we have been talking to the planning inspectorate. If we were to build then the scheme there would be land set aside for commercial use which would be most likely an ice rink."

He added: "It is very difficult making money from an ice rink because of the cost of running them. The problem with Frogmore Street is that it was built in the 1960s. The ventilation has never been good enough so there has always been a problem with the damp."

Ice rink manager Eddie Pearson said: "This is a very sad day for everyone connected to the ice rink – both the staff and the users. This is not a decision that has been taken by us but by our landlords."

James Hunt, development director at Unite, said: "We are in the early stages of planning new Unite student accommodation on the site currently occupied by the Bristol Ice Rink and the O2 music venue. The O2 will not be impacted by our plans; however, the ice rink will be affected.

"We are in discussion with the owner of Bristol Ice Rink about their future role in the new development. The new development will include some leisure space and will work with the ice rink to keep users informed of our proposal as they develop. The current lease expires in January 2013.

"Early discussions have begun with local amenity groups and further consultation will take place in the next few months with neighbours, local businesses and residents to inform the design of the new building before we apply for planning permission. Subject to receiving planning permission the scheme could open for September 2014."

He added: "Unite has owned the site for ten years and we would now like to redevelop the site in response to the positive outlook of the city's two universities."

Professional ice hockey returned to Bristol after a 16-year absence in 2009 thanks to the efforts of businessman Richie Hargreaves.

Mr Hargreaves, the owner of Bristol Pitbulls, said: "We were told the news yesterday and our first concern was whether we would be able to finish the season or not. Our last game is in March and we have been told that we will not be affected.

"But I am really gutted because of all the hard work that has been put in over the last three years. We started with 18 guys and we now have four teams and were about to launch a women's team."

He added: "We have worked really hard to become a part of the community and this is going to affect a lot of people. We will be talking to all the other users so we can present a case to Unite to keep the ice rink open."

Bristol Bulldogs junior ice hockey team includes a beginners' team, an under 12s, an under 14s, an under 16s and an under 18s, with around 15 members each who train at the ice rink every Tuesday night.

Sharon Davies, chairwoman of the team, said: "I am devastated for the children. It's not only them but the figure skaters and synchronised skaters who practise at the rink.

"There are also sledging sessions for disabled adults and children – there's things that go on there for older people too.

"A lot of children go down there at the weekends – it's a nice place to go and keeps them off the streets, they make a lot of friends down there. It's such a big part of Bristol, it's been there for so long.

"When it closes down our nearest rink would be Swindon, which is impossible. I would like to think it would not be the end of the Bristol Bulldogs, but I just don't know how we'd go on unless we found another home in Bristol.

"I'm really shocked by the news. Parents have been told about the closure and we are holding a meeting about the future of the club on Tuesday. In the meantime if anyone knows of an ice rink that we could use as a temporary home please could they get in touch."