AN Olympic figure skating gold medallist has backed calls for a permanent ice rink for the city’s residents to enjoy.

Ice skating champion Robin Cousins told The Argus: “What we want to have is a world class arena including a permanent ice rink in the city or on its outskirts.”

The city’s old ice rink at the Brighton Sports Stadium was demolished in 1965. That meant the end of the successful Brighton Tigers ice hockey team which beat the Soviet Union 6-3 in 1957.

Mr Cousins said: “It would be lovely to have a permanent ice rink.

“I have been involved in this for about 15 years and it just goes round and round in a circle.

“It has to make sense financially and has to be community led for it to work.

“It would need to be an arena because it would need to be used for other things. It would have to be viable.

“Ice hockey is tough because in places like America they have high school teams, college teams and professional teams whereas here it is a bit different.

“There are ice rinks in use around the country and the one in Nottingham is great.

“It would be nice if there was some momentum but with something of this size and this nature it really needs to be thought through.

“You have to have dance rooms and a gym – there is a lot more to it than just the rink itself.”

Mr Cousins spoke to The Argus after an exclusive session teaching a couple to skate at the temporary Royal Pavilion Ice Rink last weekend.

The temporary ice rink has been given the go-ahead to return annually to Brighton until 2023.

Sonny Keywood, an 11-year-old boy, started a petition in 2015 calling for a permanent ice rink, also writing to Her Majesty complaining he had to travel 116 miles from Brighton to play ice hockey with his team the Guildford Flames.

The petition gained 2,000 signatures from people supporting his proposal.

Mr Cousins, a former Dancing On Ice judge, said: “Brighton is such a great cosmopolitan city. Of course I want to see a permanent ice rink here.

“It’s about keeping up with what the city represents internationally and that is what is missing.”