Proposed Real Ice Skating Rink, Oxford Street, Manchester.(Prospectus)

In 1896 Manchester Real Ice Skating and Supply Company Limited issued a prospectus in which it was proposed - To erect in Manchester a real ice skating rink or hall; To erect in Manchester an ice manufactory and public and private refrigeration chambers and cold stores for the preservation of perishable goods; To manufacture pure ice for wholesale and retail consumption; To manufacture mineral and aerated water. Mangnall and Littlewoods were named as company architects.

The company had provisionally acquired a site in Oxford street close to the Prince's Theatre where: It is proposed to erect on the site a handsome building, the front of which will be utilised for shops, from which the Company expect to derive a very large rental, the back portion of the ground floor being used for a real ice skating rink on similar lines to those which have proved such a success at Niagara Hall and Hengler's Circus, London and at Paris, Munich and other places. On the first floor above the shops will be a series of rooms, part to be used as a club in connection with the skating rink and the remainder will be let off as offices. There will be retiring, refreshment and other r00ms in connection with the ice rink and also a promenade on the ground floor with a spacious balcony promenade above from which a full view of the rink will be obtained. .... In the basement it is proposed to put down machinery and plant capable of producing 50 tons of ice per day of 24 hours in summer and 20 tons of ice per day in winter when the ice rink is in operation.

Seeigly the scheme failed to attract sufficient support and was not progressed.