The Netherlands’ artificial ice rinks are only kept open because of millions of euros of local government funding, broadcaster Nos said on Monday.

‘Running an ice rink costs a lot of money,’ Marlin de Swart, from Breda’s rink said. It is, she said, practically impossible to make an ice rink profitable.

Ice rinks cost around €6 to visit but to cover the costs, this should be €10 to €15, De Swart says. But that would have an impact on visitor numbers.

The Netherlands has 16 outdoor artificial ice rinks with a 400 metre track.

Research by the Mulier Institute in 2013 showed that even rinks without government subsidies get millions of euros in help for new buildings. For example, the €13.75m tab for the new Twente rink came almost entirely from the public purse, Nos said.

The biggest cost facing rinks is energy – particularly in warm weather. The official skating season begins with the October half term holidays with temperatures this year in the 20s.