Inside Bugsy's Ice 'n' Bowl, St George's Place, Canterbury. The new entertainment venue is et to open its doors on Saturday. Picture: Barry Goodwin.

by Gerry Warren

A new leisure centre will open in Canterbury on Saturday, hoping to strike it lucky with a combination of tenpin bowling and ice skating.
Bugsy’s Ice ’n’ Bowl is opening in St George’s Place and is the result of a £700,000 investment by LMP Leisure.
The business’s application for a premises licence is due to be heard by the city council’s licensing panel on Thursday.
But managing director Richard Lambkin is confident it will be approved.
He says it does not feature a dance floor or request 2am closing, which caused controversy in a previous scheme submitted by another company.
The centre, which has created 30 jobs, has eight bowling lanes and a synthetic ice dance area for up to 40 skaters. It also has a 1950s-style diner.
Mr Lambkin said: “We never intended to have a dance floor, which is in the original plans, or 2am opening because it will be family-orientated.
“We are applying for opening hours until midnight, which I think is reasonable and am not anticipating a problem. There is nothing like it in Canterbury, which is quite surprising in a city. But that is why we think we are on to a winner.
“Unfortunately, the shape of the building restricted us to eight lanes, but I am sure the ice skating will be very popular too. The business has also created 30 new jobs, all of which have been filled locally and gives a boost to the economy.”
Mr Lambkin’s company already runs a successful tenpin bowling alley in Margate and will open the new centre on Saturday with a jazz band and activities for children.