Pastel and painted media on paper, 1938
RCAHMS: RIAS (McKean) J and J A Carrick Collection
The 1930s was a boom time for architects building the new world of leisure, with cinemas, bars and ice rinks springing up across the country.
‘Britain’s Most Modern Rink’ opened in Ayr in March 1939. 20,000 square feet of ice provided entertainment for over 1,000 skaters. Visitors enjoyed ice-skating, curling and ice hockey, and the rink became established as a social hub of the town. During the 1950s, capacity crowds of over 4,000 cheered on the Ayr Raiders Ice Hockey Team.
After the rink closed in 1974, the site was converted into a supermarket and the area is now part of a retail development and car park.