Luton's Christmas rink is at Luton Hoo Estate from 4 December: a Glice synthetic rink, 45 minutes for £12.50. Real ice: Planet Ice Hemel, £10 on Christmas Day.

Luton’s only Christmas skating rink this year is at Luton Hoo Estate, part of the new Christmas at Luton Hoo Estate event in the Walled Garden, on selected dates from Friday 4 December 2026 to Sunday 3 January 2027. It is not real ice: the rink is Glice, a synthetic surface skated on with ordinary ice skates. For real ice, the nearest rink is Planet Ice in Hemel Hempstead, which opens on Christmas Day.

The quick answer

  • Is there an ice rink in Luton? Yes, a seasonal one at Luton Hoo Estate, LU1 4LF, on selected dates from 4 December to 3 January. It is a Glice synthetic rink.
  • Price: £12.50 plus an 81p booking fee for a 45-minute session on the dates we checked, skate hire included. Fever marks some dates “Best price”.
  • Ages: 3 and up. Under-8s skate with a paying adult, one adult to three children.
  • Real ice: Planet Ice Hemel Hempstead, Jarman Park, HP2 4JS. Christmas Day 10am to 12pm, £10 a skater; £14.10 at weekends and over the holidays, skate hire extra.
  • Town centre rink? No. The council’s 2025 Christmas programme had none, and nothing has been announced for 2026.

Luton Hoo Estate: the only rink in Luton

The rink is one of three separately ticketed parts of Christmas at Luton Hoo Estate, a new event run by the Bedfordshire company TAG Live, alongside a light trail and a Father Christmas grotto. The estate’s own listing gives the dates as selected days between 4 December and 3 January (Luton Hoo Estate).

What the rink ticket gets you, from its Fever ticket page on 20 October:

  • A 45-minute session on the rink, with skate hire included, plus entry to the Winter Village, where food and drink are extra.
  • Price: £12.50 a skater aged 3 and over, plus an 81p booking fee, on the dates we checked. The booking calendar marks some dates “Best price” and some “Low availability”, so the checkout total is the one to trust.
  • Session times: hourly slots from 11am to 8pm on the booking calendar.
  • Children: under-8s must skate with a paying adult, and one adult can look after up to three children. Children aged 8 to 12 can skate on their own if a responsible adult stays at the rinkside. A Skating Guide for under-9s costs £5 extra.
  • Wheelchairs are allowed on the rink with a companion in skates; both need a ticket.
  • Date changes: a Flexi Ticket Guarantee, £3.50, buys one free change of date.

Glice is not ice. It is a plastic surface used with real ice skates, so expect it to feel slower and grippier than a frozen rink.

Getting to Luton Hoo

Use the Lime Tree Avenue entrance, LU1 4LF, where parking is free, and arrive at least 30 minutes before your session. The event is mostly outdoors on uneven ground, so wear warm clothes and sturdy shoes (Fever). The estate is off the A1081 between Luton and Harpenden, and it warns there is no way in to the Walled Garden from the Luton Hoo Hotel (Luton Hoo Estate). Light trail, grotto and VIP prices are on our Christmas at Luton Hoo Estate page.

Real ice: Planet Ice Hemel Hempstead

Planet Ice at Jarman Park, Hemel Hempstead, HP2 4JS is an indoor rink open all year, and the nearest real ice to Luton, down the M1. Its booking calendar, read session by session on 20 October, shows these public sessions over Christmas:

Date Sessions
Sat 12 and Sat 19 Dec “Skate & Spot Santa” 11.45am to 1.45pm and 2.15pm to 4.30pm; disco 5pm to 7.15pm
Mon 21 Dec “Skate & Spot Santa” 10.15am to 1pm, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 5.45pm
Thu 24 Dec “Skate & Spot Santa” 10.30am to 1pm and 1.30pm to 3.30pm; disco 4pm to 6pm
Fri 25 Dec Christmas Day skate, 10am to 12pm, £10
Sat 26 Dec 10.30am to 1.45pm; disco 2.15pm to 6pm
Sun 27 Dec 10.30am to 1pm, 1.30pm to 4pm, 4.30pm to 6.30pm; disco 7pm to 9pm
Mon 28 to Wed 30 Dec 10.15am to 1pm, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 6.30pm; disco 7pm to 9pm
Thu 31 Dec New Year’s Eve skate: 10.30am to 1pm, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 6pm
Fri 1 Jan New Year’s Day skate: 10.30am to 1pm, 1.30pm to 3.30pm, 4pm to 6pm
Sat 2 Jan 11.45am to 1.45pm, 2.15pm to 5pm; disco 5.30pm to 7.30pm
Sun 3 Jan 11.45am to 1.45pm, 2.15pm to 4.30pm

There is no late skate on New Year’s Eve: the last session ends at 6pm.

Prices on those dates: adults and children £14.10, students (16+) £10, under 4s £3.20, family tickets for 3, 4 or 5 people £13.10 each, carers free. Christmas Day is a single £10 ticket (under 4s £3.20). Planet Ice’s FAQ says skate hire is not included, a 4% booking fee is added online, skating aids cost from £7 an hour, and you can arrive at any point in a session and stay as long as you like (Planet Ice).

What about a rink in Luton town centre?

Not this year, as far as anyone has said. Luton Council’s 2025 Christmas programme, published on 31 October 2025, was a switch-on, Santa’s Sleigh on Market Hill, a reindeer visit, Christmas in Hat Gardens and a walk-in snow globe in St George’s Square, with no rink (Luton Council). The 2026 programme has not been published yet. If it includes a rink, this page will be updated.

Letchworth’s seasonal rink at the outdoor pool last announced dates for the 2024/25 season (23 November to 12 January), and North Herts Council has published nothing for 2026 (North Herts Council).

Before you set off

Check our roadworks and travel page for closures on the A1081 and the M1, and parking in Luton if you are combining a skate with a trip into town. Christmas train changes are on our Christmas and New Year travel page.

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