Glide at Battersea Power Station — Attraction in London

DON’T BOOK THIS EVENT UNLESS YOU CAN AFFORD TO WRITE OFF THE MONEY

This event and venue seem quite nice and if you are already down there and there’s space and/or can guarantee you can make your booking then it would probably be quite good (queues for ice skate collection aside – that’s probably to be expected if it’s busy). What I have issue with is the way we have been treated after our booking was made.

I booked tickets for a family of 4 to go in November only to be scuppered by a rail strike being subsequently announced on the same date. Now I know it’s written all over the small print that once you’ve booked then it’s down to you and I certainly don’t expect Glide to be responsible for travel disruptions, however it’s become fairly commonplace for reputable companies to make allowances for reasonable requests so I contacted the Glide team in advance to see if anything could be done. I got a fairly quick reply from their customer services team who after asking for details of the travel disruption said they would pass my details on to Ticketmaster to make arrangements to re-book on a different date. Again I got a fairly quick response from the Ticketmaster Customer Service who said that I would need to make a new booking then send details of the old and new bookings to them and they would refund the original booking. Now my children had cried their eyes out when I originally told them we couldn’t make the first booking and so I thought that this was an ideal and reasonable solution. I naively trusted that this would happen as they seem like reputable companies involved. At the bottom of the Ticketmaster email was a note saying the two bookings had to be of an equal monetary amount, however when scrolling through the various slots available it was apparent that they were all different prices (based on the time of day, weekday/weekend, before/after Christmas etc) and none for exactly the same as the first booking. I eventually found a slot that has a 65p per ticket price difference so went ahead and booked it. When I sent details for this to Ticketmaster they promptly replied saying that the two booking amounts were different and therefore they won’t be issuing the original refund. All subsequent emails I have sent over the past two weeks, including offering to pay the 65p/ticket difference and requests for them to offer a different solution have been ignored. I have messaged them on Twitter asking for help only be told they will be in touch by email and then heard nothing back. I have also emailed the Glide team back and am also now being ignored by them too.

Now I know that £60 for a family ticket may not seem much to these companies but to us this is a lot of money and took a lot of thought before going ahead and booking as a special treat for my kids. I also understand that the events industry has had a tricky couple of years and that their teams have probably been briefed not to issue refunds unless absolutely necessary which I can understand. If this had been explained initially I probably would have accepted this, albeit painfully. What I find absolutely despicable and almost rogue trader-ish is how I have been tricked into making a second booking on the false promise I would be refunded the first booking only to be told this is not the case then subsequently ignored. Had I known I would effectively be £120 out of pocket I never would have gone ahead with it as I cannot afford it. It seems the sales/customer services teams have been briefed to be helpful initially, perhaps try and extract more money, then fall completely silent, ignore all emails and hide behind the shield of the small print knowing they can’t be touched.

I’m not really one for leaving negative reviews or complaining about stuff as normally you can reach a reasonable solution beforehand but this whole ordeal really has caused me a lot of stress. If I can reach just one family to help them avoid booking this event and going through the same thing we have I...

Rating: ★★☆☆☆

I began skating at the Glide rink located at Battersea Power Station in November 2023, and my initial experience was fantastic. The staff and management were top-notch, and the organization was impeccable. However, my experience took a nosedive in December 2023 when they made significant changes.

Service and Ice Quality (★☆☆☆☆): The dismissal of staff and management had a noticeable negative impact on the quality of service and ice conditions. The ice surface deteriorated rapidly, resembling a swimming pool more than an ice rink. This drastic decline in ice quality made skating far less enjoyable and safe.

Marshals and Safety (★★☆☆☆): In November, there were six ice marshals ensuring safety on the rink. However, in December, they inexplicably reduced the number to only three. This decrease in marshals jeopardized the safety of skaters and raised concerns about accidents and injuries. Safety should always be a top priority at an ice skating rink.

Rule Changes (★★☆☆☆): The sudden and arbitrary rule changes were also frustrating. These changes left skaters confused and disrupted the flow of the skating experience. Clear communication about any rule adjustments and their rationale is essential to ensure a positive experience for all patrons.

In summary, my initial positive impression of Glide at Battersea Power Station quickly turned sour due to the dismissals, deteriorating ice quality, reduced safety measures, and confusing rule changes. I hope that they can address these issues and return to the high standards I enjoyed during my first visit in November 2023

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

"Battersea Glide offers a delightful ice skating experience in the heart of the city. The Ice Marshals are the unsung heroes here – they're not just skilled at their job but also incredibly approachable and responsive. Despite the bustling crowd, they handle situations with impressive speed and efficiency.

The front house staff also deserve a shoutout for their warm welcome and hard work. They do a fantastic job, but it seems they could use a few more hands on deck to help manage the crowd, especially during peak times.

I was particularly impressed with the proactive management team. They're always on their toes, ready to address any concerns that arise, ensuring a smooth experience for everyone.

Regarding the ice quality, it has noticeably improved, though it's still subject to the mercy of the weather. But let's talk about the overall experience – November was absolutely amazing! December, while equally enjoyable, did feel more crowded. A few extra staff members during these peak times could enhance the experience.

Ending on a high note, the last week of December saw well-maintained ice, rounding off the year nicely. If you're looking for a fun and safe ice skating experience in London, Battersea Glide is definitely worth a visit. Just a few tweaks here and there, and it could easily be a five-star experience!"

#BatterseaGlide...

This is so overrated and over priced. At every opportunity, the moment is taken to see how much more money they can squeeze out of you. It starts with using the most manipulative app to get your tickets, rather than just emailing them to you- kudos to Ticketmaster. We were 15 minutes early and got onto the ice 25 minutes later and therefore 10 minutes late. The staff on boot check were slow to the point of lethargy, and are they are clearly understaffed, poorly managed and under trained. The boots were among the most uncomfortable I've ever worn at a rental ice rink, and the ice was covered between 30 and 40% with large puddles of water. At the end of the session, as we queued up to depart the ice, we thought it would be good to take photos as we were in the melee attempting to get off- only this wasn't good enough for a staff member on the ice who thought it best to harass us off the ice (remember we were in the queue to exit off the rink) whilst then abandoning her own post as teenagers returned from the mass of people to head back out on the ice. Queueing for our own shoes took another 15 minutes and finally their one way pedestrian system out of the rink is designed to take you straight to their bar in a final effort to get your money out of you. I'm not sure if the candy stall was part and parcel of the operation, but it adopted the cunning ploy of ensuring that every single piece of candy was between double and triple the size of a standard pic'n'mix, so that any unfortunate soul wanting to purchase something sweet for themselves or children would have the pleasure of paying over double or triple the odds. There is only one good thing to mention about the rink, which has nothing to do with their management, and that is that the location is beautiful. The power station is a great backdrop and has been...