Braintree Village 25th birthday also saw return of ice rink

Public festivities took place last weekend at the shopping village, with performances from 90s dancers and interactive sketches from the cast of Dick Whittington at The Institute.

There were also prize giveaways worth more than £5,000, a “crack the code” competition and a live DJ playing 90s hits.

The birthday celebrations coincided with the return of the centre’s ice rink, with PLUS+ rewards club members receiving complimentary ice-skating lessons.

Happy - The shopping centre was excited to celebrate its birthday last weekend (Image: Umpf PR) Josef O’Sullivan, Centre Director at Braintree Village, said: “We’re delighted to have celebrated our 25th birthday with our community last weekend—it was filled with joy, entertainment, and the much-anticipated return of our ice rink.

“Seeing families and friends come together to enjoy the anniversary events highlights the importance of creating memorable experiences that bring people back to Braintree Village time after time.

“The return of our ice rink marks the start of the festive season, and we look forward to welcoming even more guests in the coming weeks, as they enjoy our Black Friday offers and start their Christmas shopping.

Festive - The shopping centre has put up its Christmas decorations for the holiday season (Image: Steve Brading) “We also want to say a huge thank you to the cast of Dick Whittington at The Institute, Braintree, for joining in our celebrations and giving our guests a taste of what’s to come in this year’s pantomime.”

After a “tremendously successful” first season last year, the 550-metre undercover ice rink has returned to the shopping village in time for Christmas.

The custom-built ice rink is located adjacent to the top of the North Car park and provides skaters with a captivating festive atmosphere.

The rink will be open throughout the Christmas period, including Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

Skating - The ice-rink will be at the centre until January 5 (Image: Steve Brading) Pre-bookable 45-mintue sessions include skate hire and skating aids, and clip-on bob skates will be on offer to ensure mini skaters stay steady.

There will also be a range of sessions to suit everyone’s needs, including disco sessions, quiet sessions, parent and toddler sessions, and exclusive hire for private events.

Tickets for ice-skating sessions are prices from £12 for children under 12, £14 for adults and from £44 for a family.

For opening hours and more information visit https://braintree-village.com/