North Londoners can take to the ice for a tenner this winter, as the Brent Cross ice rink prepares to reopen — with a batch of £10 early-bird tickets now on sale.
The On Ice rink returns to the shopping centre on 23 October and will stay open through to 3 January 2027, covering the autumn half term, the Christmas holidays and the New Year weekend. Announcing the news on Instagram, the centre told followers: “Get your skates on, tickets are now available!”
Anyone hoping to skate for £10 will need to follow a few steps. Shoppers must first pick up a pre-launch voucher through the link in the centre’s Instagram bio, then enter the code BRENTX26 at the checkout to lock in the £10 price. The voucher can then be exchanged for On Ice tickets on the date of their choice — but it must be redeemed by 13 December.
Standard tickets for the rink are on sale now at onice.co.uk.
The £10 price is a pre-launch offer, so anyone set on skating for a tenner should sort out their voucher sooner rather than later. With the rink opening just as the autumn half term begins, families hoping to skate in the first week would do well to book early.
This will be the third year the pop-up rink has taken over part of the shopping centre’s car park, having first opened in 2024. Since then it has become a firm fixture of the festive season in this corner of north London, drawing families from Hendon, Colindale and beyond.
There is also a chance to skate for free all winter. The centre is giving away a season ticket to On Ice at Brent Cross, which will let one winner skate throughout the season. Entries must be in before 19 October, with details of how to take part published on the centre’s Instagram page.
The rink’s return comes as Brent Cross marks a milestone year. The shopping centre has been part of north London life for 50 years, and it is currently in the middle of a “fresh new look”, with new signage and cladding going up around the site.
Recent additions to the line-up include a revamped Starbucks, a Little Bao Boy kiosk in the District Food Hall and an Oliver Bonas store, while Hollister and Sephora are both due to open in the coming months. It has been a busy autumn for the centre, which has also played host to a new comedy festival raising money for mental-health services.
For those planning a festive day out, the rink is just one of a growing list of winter attractions across the capital. Shoppers can already book heated igloos on the John Lewis rooftop overlooking Oxford Street, while a giant Alice in Wonderland immersive experience opens in London next month.
Getting there is straightforward. The nearest Tube station is Brent Cross on the Northern Line, a short walk from the centre, and plenty of bus routes stop nearby. Drivers heading to the rink should allow a little extra time, though: repair works on the Brent Cross flyover are set to cause disruption in the area.
A little preparation will make the outing far more enjoyable, especially for first-time skaters. Book online in advance to secure the date and time you want, and aim to arrive with time to spare so that getting your skates fitted does not feel rushed. Wrap up in warm layers, wear long socks and bring gloves — the ice is colder than it looks, and you will be grateful for them after half an hour. No session timetable was included in the announcement, so check onice.co.uk for times before travelling.
And if you are heading there with children during half term, it pays to plan around the busiest periods: book an earlier session, eat before you go and travel light, as you will be leaving your shoes behind when you collect your skates.
The rink has previously been set up in the centre’s car park, making it easy to combine a skate with a shopping trip. Keep an eye on the shopping centre’s Instagram page in the run-up to opening day for the latest updates — including how to enter the season-ticket giveaway before the 19 October deadline.
