Skate Leicester Square will return to the heart of the West End this Christmas, opening from Saturday 31 October 2026 until Sunday 3 January 2027.
Following its debut in 2025, Underbelly’s outdoor ice rink will once again transform Leicester Square into a festive centrepiece, giving Londoners and visitors the chance to skate beneath the Christmas lights, moments from some of the capital’s best-known theatres, restaurants and attractions.
The rink will encircle Leicester Square’s famous Shakespeare statue, creating a distinctive backdrop for skaters of all ages and abilities. Sessions will begin every 15 minutes and last for 45 minutes, with tickets available both online and for walk-in visitors. Off the ice, visitors can enjoy a mix of new and returning traders serving seasonal food, warming drinks and festive treats and gifts.
Adding to the atmosphere, a programme of special skating performances is planned throughout the season. Performers set to take to the ice include members of Lee Valley London Skating Club, home to six competitive synchronised skating teams, including reigning Senior B British champions Aura, alongside GB figure skater and former Dancing on Ice professional Alex Baker. Further details of the performances will be announced in due course.
With Leicester Square Underground station just moments away, a visit to Skate Leicester Square can easily be combined with a West End show, Christmas shopping, dinner or drinks, making it a natural addition to a festive day or night in central London.
Tickets are priced from £15 for adults and £10 for children, with family tickets from £42 and no booking fees. An optional donation will be added to each transaction in support of the Angel Child Fund, created by Underbelly co-founder Ed Bartlam and his wife Lucinda in memory of their seven-year-old son, Alfie, who passed away from a brain tumour in 2019. The fund supports research led by Professor Richard Gilbertson at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, focused on developing new treatments for aggressive childhood brain tumours.
Underbelly has delivered Christmas in Leicester Square for the past ten years, transforming the central London destination with its programme of festive entertainment and experiences. The return of Skate Leicester Square follows the rink’s inaugural season in 2025.
Ed Bartlam, co-founder of Underbelly, said: “Following a fantastic first season, we’re excited to be bringing Skate Leicester Square back to the heart of the West End this Christmas. As we celebrate our tenth year of producing Christmas in Leicester Square, it feels particularly special to see the rink return and build on the magical atmosphere from last year. Whether visitors are joining us for a festive day out, before a West End show or simply to enjoy a skate beneath the Christmas lights, we can’t wait to welcome everyone back.”
Kirsty Tullett-Jones, Director of Marketing and Communications, Discover Leicester Square, said: “Skate Leicester Square is a fantastic addition to the West End, giving visitors another reason to experience the heart of London this festive season. As the home of film and entertainment, Leicester Square is the perfect setting, with world-class theatres, restaurants, shops and cultural attractions right on its doorstep. With so much to see and do, visitors can be entertained day and night.”
Professor Richard Gilbertson, Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: “We are truly excited and humbled by the amazing partnership with Underbelly and Angel Child. Every day, we work to end the devastation caused to children and their families by brain tumours and every donation, however large or small, helps towards this goal. We will accept nothing less than total eradication of these devastating childhood cancers. Thanks to the support we have already received we are about to take a completely new therapy to the clinic. We could not have done this without Underbelly and Angel Child. Together with our collaborators, we have developed a number of other, completely new and kinder treatments, taking us even closer the day when no child will suffer or die from a brain tumour.”
