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Big Screen on the Ice: Watch your favourite festive film on ice at QUEENS
Watch your favourite festive film on ice at Big Screen on Ice
A unique, pop-up cinema has launched in central London just in time for Christmas. QUEENS Skate Dine Bowl have introduced a new film experience – Big Screen on Ice.
Over nine weekends throughout December and January, films fans can watch their favourite Christmas movies on ice. Grab one of the candy-striped deckchairs and cosy up with blankets and winter warmers. Old and new classics, such as Home Alone, Elf, Frozen, and Dirty Dancing will be projected on the LED big screen.
There will be two screenings a day, with the family sessions at 5pm and adults at 8pm. Before taking to the ice, guests can head to the rinkside SIN BIN cafe, where they can enjoy hot MEATliquor cocktails or hot chocolates, and snacks. Meanwhile, during the film, attendants on skates will be serving popcorn and other treats.
- 7 – 8 December: Elf // The Holiday
- 14 – 15 December: Muppets Christmas Carol // Home Alone 1
- 21 – 22 December: Miracle on 34th Street // Notting Hill
- 28 – 29 December: Lion King // Die Hard
- 4 – 5 January: Up // Cool Runnings
- 11 – 12 January: Wall-E // Dirty Dancing
- 18 – 19 January: Finding Nemo // Bohemian Rhapsody
- 25 – 25 January: Toy Story // The Greatest Showman.
Aside from the festive Christmas cinema, QUEENS also features 12 bowling lanes, arcades, ice skating, curling, ice karting and beer pong.
- Big Screen on the Ice @ QUEENS, 17 Queensway, Bayswater, W2 4PQ. Nearest stations: Queensway or Bayswater. Runs from 1 December 2019 – 25 January 2020. Screening on Saturday and Sunday evenings. Times: 5pm (family films), 8pm (adults films). Tickets: Ice skating + film (no seats) – Adults £12, Children £11. Ice skating + film (with seating) – Adults from £16, Children from £13. Skate hire £2.50. For more information, visit the Big Screen on the Ice website. or the QUEENS website.
For a guide to what else is on in London in January 2020, click here.
For a guide to London’s festive ice rinks, click here.
Rinkside drinking and dining at London’s first curling bar and diner the Sin Bin @ Queens
The Sin Bin is a new rinkside drinking and dining space at Queens
QUEENS Skate Dine Bowl has added a new attraction to its versatile venue – a rinkside bar and diner. The Sin Bin offers beers, cocktails and burgers just moments from the action on the ice. What’s special about QUEENS is that you can do more than ice skating on its indoor rink – it also offers opportunities to play ice hockey or go ice karting or curling.
A St Lawrence (left) and Silver Angel (right) cocktails
I went along to the launch last week to try the Sin Bin’s cocktails and burgers and make my second attempt at curling. Despite being rinkside, the bar is thankfully lovely and cosy with heaters warming you up after you’ve been chilling on the ice. The long, slender space has a dive bar vibe with plenty of seating, including many stools looking out on the rink. The rinkside setting means people who don’t feel confident on the ice can watch their companions in action from a more comfortable, non-slip space.
When it came to drinks, we decided on cocktails from their menu of creative originals, mostly reasonably priced around the £7.50-£8.50 mark. I tried a lovely, sweet Silver Angel (Finlandia vodka with peach and passion fruit topped with fizz), while my boyfriend opted for a St Lawrence (Woodford Reserve with maple syrup, lemon juice and a dash of bitters). I continued the vodka theme with a Henrietta Fizz (Grey Goose Poire vodka with pear, strawberry and fresh lemon topped with fizz), which was deliciously light, something that would make a great aperitif.
Try a spot of curling for something different
The food menu is from MEATliquor, who have already established a diner at QUEENS. MEATliquor’s full menu is available to Sin Bin diners, including popular favourites, Hot Mess (hash browns with blue cheese sauce, jalapenos, buffalo sauce and pickles), deep-friend mac ‘n’ cheese, and chicken wings. During our visit, my boyfriend and I had the cheeseburger (beef patty, cheese, red onions, pickles, lettuce, French’s mustard and ketchup) and the halloumi and mushroom burger (halloumi, mushroom, red onions, pickles, lettuce, French’s mustard and ketchup) respectively. When it comes to food of a ‘fast’ nature, I don’t always have high expectations, however we agreed our burgers were really tasty and I could have easily eaten a second. Our burgers were accompanied by some delicious Cajun fries, with the seasoning really giving them an extra something.
During the evening, we stepped on to the ice for a spot of curling. I had tried it a year ago and was pretty bad. However, this year the shoe grips were slightly different and I felt a bit more stable on the ice. This time, we also had access to brooms as well as the curling stones. We were given instructions by experienced curlers and managed to pull off a pretty good game for a bunch of amateurs. It was a lot of fun and definitely offers something a bit different to your usual night out with a group of friends.
As well as the various ice activities, MEATliquor and the Sin Bin, QUEENS also has a bowling alley and arcade. There’s currently plans to expand the site further with five private bowling lanes, the Liquor Lanes, in the near future.
- The Sin Bin @ Queens, 17 Queensway, Bayswater, W2 4PQ. Nearest station: Queensway or Bayswater. Open Sun-Thu 12pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 12pm-12am. For more information and booking, visit the Queens website.
Queens provide grips to put on your shoes so you can walk on ice
London’s first ‘human football’ zorbing on ice launches for the World Cup
If watching the FIFA World Cup action from Russia leaves you feeling competitive, there’s a fun new activity coming to the capital that could be right up your street. This summer, QUEENS is launching London’s first human football zorbing on ice. This special World Cup edition sees players getting to climb into 12ft tall inflatable footballs and compete against each other on the ice. Players will be challenged to battle each other out to be crowned the winner’s of the QUEENS’ World Cup. People can play in two teams of three players with ‘normal’ football rules applying.
Once you’ve bounced and steered your way around the ice rink, you can head to the on site MEATliquor bar for a refreshing post-match glass of Prosecco or beer. Each player ticket includes gaming sessions and one free beverage. While you’re there, you can also take advantage of some of QUEENS’ other attractions, including bowling alley, curling, arcades or dining at MEATliquor.
- Queens, 17 Queensway, Bayswater, W2 4PQ. Nearest stations: Queensway or Bayswater. Zorbing on Ice is available on 22 June, 6 July and 13 July 2018. Booking slots from 4pm-11.20pm. Tickets: £29.99 per person. For more information, visit the Queens website.
For a guide to what’s on in London in July, click here.
For a guide on where to watch the World Cup on the big screen in London, click here.
