No ice rink in Priory Park this Christmas. The nearest is Seal Bay Resort, Selsey, 11 Dec to 1 Jan: adults £12, under-14s £8, open until 10pm every night.
There is no ice rink in Chichester city this Christmas. The nearest is at Seal Bay Resort in Selsey, open from Friday 11 December to Friday 1 January. The resort’s booking page calls it “our real ice rink” and says it “is back”, in the White Horse Complex. Tickets for visitors are £12 for adults and £8 for under-14s.
The quick answer
- Priory Park: no rink. Chichester District Council has not announced one for 2026, and it dropped the idea on cost in 2024.
- Seal Bay Resort, Selsey (PO20 9EL): 11 December to 1 January.
- Times: midweek 5pm to 10pm; weekends and school holidays 12pm to 10pm.
- Prices for visitors: adults (14+) £12, under-14s £8, under-5s £5. Skating aids £5 on the day.
- Christmas Day: the resort does not say whether the rink opens.
Last checked 20 October 2026, against Seal Bay Resort’s ice skating and day visitor pages and Chichester District Council’s news releases.
Is there an ice rink in Priory Park this year?
No. The city’s last rink was in Priory Park in 2018. In a release on 9 May 2024 the district council said it had looked at bringing it back but had “to make a difficult decision not to go ahead with this due to an increase in the costs”. After “a rigorous procurement process, we were unable to secure an operator to meet the high standards within the budget available”, it said.
The council replaced it with Christmas in Priory Park, a programme of festive events centred on The Guildhall. This year’s panto release says the full 2026 programme “will be announced in early November”. Nothing the council has published so far mentions skating. If that changes, this page will be updated.
Seal Bay ice rink: 11 December to 1 January
| Seal Bay ice rink | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where | White Horse Complex, Seal Bay Resort, Warners Lane, Selsey, PO20 9EL |
| Dates | Friday 11 December to Friday 1 January |
| Midweek | 5pm to 10pm |
| Weekends and school holidays | 12pm to 10pm |
| Visitors | Adult (14+) £12, under 14 £8, under 5 £5 |
| Holiday home owners | Adult (14+) £9, under 14 £6, under 5 £3.50 |
| Skating aids | £5, bookable on the day, subject to availability |
| Groups of 10 or more | 20% off, booked at The Dockyard or by email to sealbay.activities@cove.co.uk |
| Booking | Seal Bay’s online booking page |
West Sussex schools break up on Friday 18 December (see our term dates page), so on our reading of the resort’s times the rink opens at midday every day from Saturday 19 December. Before that, the weekday sessions are evenings only: Friday 11 and Monday 14 to Friday 18 December, 5pm to 10pm.
What the resort has not published: how long a session lasts, whether the rink opens on Christmas Day, Boxing Day or New Year’s Day at the usual times, and whether skate hire is included in the ticket. The booking calendar loads session times only in a browser, so check it for the date you want before you set out.
Can you go if you are not staying at Seal Bay?
Yes. Seal Bay’s day visitors page lists ice skating among the activities for people who are not staying overnight, and the rink’s own price list has a “visitors” rate. The day visitors page recommends pre-booking for all activities. It does not say that skaters pay any separate charge to come onto the resort.
Cancelling
If you book through the app or a resort booking point, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your session for a full refund. After that, or if you do not turn up, there is no refund. The resort says all activities can be cancelled at its discretion.
Who runs it now
Seal Bay was bought by Haven’s owner in September. It keeps the Seal Bay Resort name for the rest of 2026, so this winter’s rink is still booked through the Seal Bay site; see our story on the sale.
Getting to Selsey
Seal Bay is in Selsey, at the southern tip of the Manhood Peninsula south of Chichester. The rink’s page says nothing about parking for skaters, so ask when you book. For city centre car parks and charges if you are combining the trip with Christmas shopping, see our Chichester parking page; for closures on the roads south of the city, see roadworks and travel.
More Christmas in and around Chichester
- Christmas lights switch-on, Saturday 21 November
- Christmas markets, from 21 November
- Christmas shows and the Priory Park panto
- Santa’s grottos
- Cathedral carol services
Sources
- Ice Skating, Seal Bay Resort booking page: dates, times, prices, skating aids, groups, cancellation policy (read 20 October 2026)
- Day Visitors at Seal Bay Resort: skating listed for day visitors (read 20 October 2026)
- Seal Bay Resort home page: address
- Chichester District Council releases 38768 (9 May 2024), 39062 and 41248
Frequently asked questions
Is there an ice rink in Chichester this Christmas?
Not in the city. Chichester District Council decided in May 2024 not to bring back the Priory Park rink last held in 2018, because it could not find an operator within budget, and nothing has been announced for 2026. The nearest rink is at Seal Bay Resort in Selsey, open from 11 December to 1 January.
How much is the Seal Bay ice rink?
For visitors, £12 for adults (14 and over), £8 for under-14s and £5 for under-5s, per Seal Bay Resort’s booking page. Holiday home owners pay £9, £6 and £3.50. Skating aids are £5, bookable on the day.
What time is the Seal Bay ice rink open?
5pm to 10pm midweek, and 12pm to 10pm at weekends and in the school holidays, from Friday 11 December to Friday 1 January. The resort does not say whether the rink opens on Christmas Day.
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