PAUL SAVIDENT: Press Release re Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace Ice Rinks 2007

Following the continuing success ice skating season at the Tower of London and the at Hampton Court Palace – tickets for their new seasons of ice skating are now onsale.

For the past 900 years the Tower of London – Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress on the Thames - has been the setting for some of the most significant events in British history. Now, nearly 1000 years after William the Conqueror founded the building, the Tower of London will again be host to a magnificent real-ice rink situated in the dry-moat beneath the Outer Curtain Wall of the Tower of London.

The ice rink at Hampton Court Palace returns for its fifth Christmas Season of six weeks in the grounds of the historic palace. Set in the truly splendid and traditional setting within the grounds of Hampton Court Palace the ice rink will again be located on the west front of Henry VIII’s historic famous red brick palace.

The Ice Rink Cafés alongside the ice rink (no entrance charge) will serving warming drinks and festive snacks for those wanting to take it easy and relax after their skate or whilst watching others take to the ice.

Booking for the ice-skating sessions (hourly sessions accommodating 250 people) is now open by phone (0870 602 1100 for Tower of London and 0870 060 1778 for Hampton Court Palace) and internet (www.toweroflondonicerink.com, www.hamptoncourticerink.com and www.londonicerinks.com) or in person at the Tower of London Box Office or Hampton Court Palace Box Office.

Following previous booking patterns it is anticipated that sessions at weekends and immediately around Christmas and New Year will sell extremely quickly so advance booking is strongly recommended. Joint tickets offering skating and entry for either the Tower of London or Hampton Court Palace are also available providing an opportunity to enjoy more of the spectacular setting – please ask at the time of booking.

Ice Rink Press Passes are available for the evening of Friday 23^rd November 2007 for the Tower of London Ice Rink and Friday 31^st November for Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink. For more information on either ice rink, Press Passes, imagery and information on PWR Events contact PAUL SAVIDENT on 020 8567 2089, or e-mail paul@savident.com.

For more information on the Tower of London and Christmas events please contact Natasha Woollard, PR Manager, at Historic Royal Palaces on 020 7488 5662, by fax on 020 7680 0687, by e-mail to natasha.woollard@hrp.org.uk or visit www.hrp.org.uk.

For more information on Hampton Court Palace and Christmas events please contact Vikki Wood, PR Manager, at Historic Royal Palaces on 020 7488 5662/3, by fax on 020 7680 0687, by e-mail to vikki.wood@hrp.org.uk or visit www.hrp.org.uk.

NOTES TO EDITORS

TOWER OF LONDON ICE RINK

Saturday 24^th Nov 2007 to Sunday 13^th Jan 2007

www.toweroflondonicerink.com and

www.londonicerinks.com

Tickets: 0870 602 1100 and 0871 230 5445

(booking fees apply to all numbers)

TICKET PRICES per session including skate hire

Peak Times & Prices

Evening sessions from 5.15pm session and weekends. Christmas Eve and New Years Eve.

Adult: £12.00

Children (under 16): £7.50

Concessions: £11.00

Family ticket (1 Adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children): £30.00

Off-Peak Times & Prices

Weekday morning and afternoon sessions up to and including the 4.00pm session

Adult: £10.00

Children (under 16): £7.50

Concessions: £9.50

Family ticket (1 Adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children): £30.00

Skate for Just £5: Available for sessions starting between 10am and 4pm on the following dates - Nov 27-30, Dec 1, Dec 4-8 and Jan 8-12. Tickets only available on the day at the Ice Rink Box Office.

Joint admission tickets are also available for the Tower of London and the Ice Rink – customers should ask at the time of booking. Peak Joint ticket prices:

Adult: £21.00

Children (under 16) £12.50

Concessions: £18.00

Family ticket (1 Adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children): £56.00

Off-Peak Joint ticket prices:

Adult: £19.50

Children (under 16) £12.50

Concessions: £16.50

Family ticket (1 Adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children): £56.00

HAMPTON COURT PALACE ICE RINK

Saturday 1^st Dec 2007 to Sunday 13^th Jan 2007

www.hamptoncourticerink.com and

www.londonicerinks.com

Tickets: 0870 060 1778 and 0871 230 5445

(booking fees apply to all numbers)

TICKET PRICES per session including skate hire

Adult: £10.00

Children (under 16): £7.50

Concessions: £8.00

Family ticket (1 Adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children): £30.00

Skate all day for £7.50: Skate till you drop for only £7.50 - available between 10am and 5pm on the following dates - Dec 3-7, Dec 10-14 and Jan 7-11 (ice cleaning will require skaters to leave the ice for short periods of time). Tickets only available on the day at the Ice Rink Box Office.

Joint admission tickets are also available for Hampton Court Palace and the Ice Rink – customers should ask at the time of booking. Joint ticket prices:

Adult: £18.50

Children (under 16) £13.50

Concessions: £15.50

Family ticket (1 Adult and 3 children or 2 adults and 2 children): £57.00

PLEASE NOTE: There is no entrance charge to the Ice Rink Cafés and the cafés are open for people who wish to view others skating and skaters alike.

TICKETS AND ADVANCE BOOKING – BOOKING NOW OPEN

In person: Tower of London Box Office and Hampton Court Palace Box Office (no booking fee)

Telephone: 0870 602 1100 (Tower of London), 0870 060 1778 (Hampton Court Palace) or

0871 230 5445 (Hotline Number) - booking fees apply on all numbers.

On-line: www.toweroflondonicerink.com, www.hamptoncourticerink.com,

www.londonicerinks.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk (booking fees apply to all)

For School Parties and Corporate bookings call PWR Events direct on 020 8241 9818– please note there is no booking fee for group bookings.

TIMED SKATING SESSIONS

There will be 10 one hour skating session per day from 10.00am

10.00am – 11.00am • 11.00am – Noon • 12.15pm – 1.15pm • 1.30pm – 2.30pm

2.45pm – 3.45pm • 4.00pm – 5.00pm • 5.15pm – 6.15pm • 6.30pm – 7.30pm

7.45pm – 8.45pm • 9.00pm – 10.00pm

Minimum skate size: Children’s size 9 (nine) Maximum skate size: Adult size 13 (thirteen)

WEB ADDRESS: www.toweroflondonicerink.com, www.hamptoncourticerink.com and

www.londonicerinks.com

DIRECTIONS for Tower of London Ice Rink:

By TRAIN to Fenchurch Street or London Bridge.

By UNDERGROUND on District or Circle Line to Tower Hill.

By BUS on routes 15, 25, 42, 78, 100 and D1. The Tower is also served by all major sightseeing bus tours.

By DOCKLANDS LIGHT RAILWAY to Tower Gateway Station which is located adjacent to Tower Hill station.
By RIVERBOAT from Charing Cross, Westminster or Greenwich to Tower Pier.

DIRECTIONS for Hampton Court Palace Ice Rink:

By TRAIN from Waterloo direct to Hampton Court takes 32 minutes.

By CAR exit junctions 10 and 12 on the M25.

By UNDERGROUND District Line to Wimbledon and main line to Hampton Court.

Historic Royal Palaces

Historic Royal Palaces is the independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. We help everyone explore the story of how monarchs and people have shaped society, in some of the greatest palaces ever built.

A public corporation, we receive no funding from the Government or the Crown, so we depend on the support of our visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors.

These palaces are owned by The Queen on behalf of the nation, and we manage them for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport.

We believe in four principles. Guardianship: giving these palaces a future as long and valuable as their past. Discovery: encouraging people to make links with their own lives and today’s world. Showmanship: doing everything with panache. Independence: having our own point of view and finding new ways to do our work.

www.hrp.org.uk

registered charity number 1068852