Lee Valley Ice Centre, Leyton
Lee Valley Ice Centre, on Lea Bridge Road in Leyton, is the biggest rink within easy reach of Romford: two Olympic-size ice pads under one roof, open since June 2023 on the site of the old single-rink centre.
The new centre
The original Lee Valley Ice Centre served east London for more than 30 years, and from 2013 to 2018 it was the home of the London Raiders while Romford had no rink. It had reached the end of its working life, and the Lee Valley Regional Park Authority replaced it with a £30 million twin-rink centre on the same site, with support from Waltham Forest Council. The new building opened to the public on 17 June 2023.
Both rinks are larger than the old one, which roughly doubled capacity, and the centre also has a gym, exercise studios, a café and community space.
What you can do
- Public skating every day, with ice discos and quieter "coffee skate" style sessions on the timetable.
- Learn to skate courses for children and adults, plus figure skating and ice hockey programmes from beginner to elite level.
- Birthday parties and group bookings.
- Events: the centre hosts competitions, including the World Inclusive Skating Championships in 2026.
Getting there from Romford
- By train: take the Elizabeth line to Stratford, then a train to Lea Bridge station, a short walk from the centre. Allow around 40 minutes.
- By car: via the A12 and the A106 or A104, typically 30–40 minutes outside rush hour. The centre has its own car park.
- By bus: routes along Lea Bridge Road link Leyton, Walthamstow and Hackney.
Compared with Romford
Sapphire is closer for most of Havering and has the Raiders. Lee Valley has twice the ice, so more public sessions and more room for serious figure skaters and hockey players. Many Romford skaters use both.