In 1958, the Midlands Roller Arena’s journey began not as a rink, but as a dairy farm. Mr and Mrs Cobb bought the land at auction from the Goodacre family and farmed 70 Ayrshire cows there. By 1982, the livestock had been sold, and the farm evolved into a thriving garden centre. This centre was handed down to their daughter, Michelle, in 2006, expanding over time to include a café, farm shop and garden design service.
However, 2012 marked a turning point. Recognising a shortage of roller hockey rinks in the country and fueled by Michelle’s sons’ passion for the sport, it was decided to diversify the land once more and build the Midlands Roller Arena. Originally, the focus was solely on hockey training and games. But as the word spread, the demand grew. Soon, parties, public skating, and roller discos became regular events, prompting her to expand the skate collection.
Michelle’s sons’ stories embody the spirit of the arena. Pursuing his hockey dream, James went to Canada at 14 and later played in New Jersey, Boston, and now, while studying in Fort Worth, Texas, he continues his passion with a scholarship. Harry played for Great Britain Juniors in the USA, as well as producing marketing videos for the early days of the rink after completing a first-class degree in Film Production. Having the rink at home undoubtedly fueled their ambitions.
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We look forward to seeing you soon!
