I have been lurking around these boards for quite a few months now, looking for advice and information. I would like to say thank you for all the help I have found - it has been incredibly useful!

My name is Amanda and I live in London in the UK. I used to figure skate when I was little, and twenty years later, I have finally started having lessons again - the first one being a couple of days ago. And it was so much fun! (not to mention slightly painful, when learning to skate backwards and ending up falling backwards . . .). It seems like I am starting from scratch but I am hoping that there is some memory in my muscles of skating all those years ago

One question I wanted to ask of the British people on the forum is if you can recommend any UK websites for skating supplies - not skates, but everything else, as I am having real trouble finding suppliers. And any good pro shops in London if you can? I am good for skates at the moment, but good to know for the future - nothing like a bit of future planning!

Once again, thank you for all the good advice that is posted on these forums - I look forward to reading a lot more!

Hi Amanda!
I am not from the UK so can't help with your supplier question but thought I'd pop in and say "HI" and good luck with your skating!

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AW1
mum to Miss Lil (6yrs old)
mum to be to #2 due in March 08

Welcome Amanda from another relative newbie

There are a few websites that I know of;

www.everglides.co.uk

www.topskate.co.uk

www.specialistskatingservices.com

I'm sure Mrs Redboots or some other UK skaters will have more recommendations. You didn't mention where you skate but Streatham has a skate shop and I believe there is one somewhere close to Queens too although perhaps someone else might be able to confirm that?

Clare

Hi Amanda

I'm a UK skater from Oxford.

Like you, I skated for a couple of years as a kid and returned in January 2006 after an 18 year break! I signed up for Skate UK with some trepidation, worrying whether I'd make a fool of myself, whether I'd be the only adult, etc etc, and have to say I've been pleasantly surprised to find that there's be a thriving and very friendly adult skating community in the UK (and it seems, the world lol!)

Don't know about pro shops in London, but there are some great people here like Mrs Redboots who know their stuff and will probably be able to help

In the meantime, here are some UK websites for skating stuff:

http://www.buntysportswear.co.uk/
Quite good for dresses, tights etc, seem to be reasonably priced

http://www.topskate.co.uk/
Various boots, blades and accessories

http://www.ice-dancer.co.uk/
Skating wear and accessories, including bags

With regards to stuff like kneepads etc - you can often find these on Ebay. There's a specialist boot fitter, Les Westaway, who's based near Reading, and if you need blades a good person for that is John Turner, based near Birmingham (I believe he also supplies and fits WIFA boots).

Anyways, that's about it for now...happy skating, and hope to 'see' you around on the fourm.

S xxx

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There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness"

Hi, Amanda, and welcome. Where do you skate? Clare and I both skate at Streatham, and there are a couple from Queens who post here regularly. And a fair few UK skaters from other rinks.

Most rink shops here are basically about hockey; there are some good suppliers of skates and other equipment, though not at rinks. As well as the links others have mentioned, don't forget Inside Edge Fashions. Everglides also has an e-Bay shop, as does Ice Edge, and there may be others but I haven't found them yet. E-Bay is truly your friend.... (my daughter has just bought her wedding dress on there, and it it is beautiful, so I'm in a good mood with them right now!).

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

Thanks everyone for the welcome - and the really helpful advice. There's a few websites there that I hadn't looked at before. I think for the moment I will be sticking to yoga pants - not quite ready to start flashing my legs in skirts just yet!

I am taking lessons at Alexandra Palace, and also practice sometimes at the Sobell Ice Rink. Luckily, both rinks are very close to me and I live right in the middle of the two. I know some people aren't so lucky!

Ebay is great (I was a fan before the skating took off!) and have already found a few things on there. I can see this new hobby seriously affecting my bank balance

Hi airfairy76 and welcome, Oh yes, be prepared to seriously upset your bank manager. The thing is, at this stage dont book too many lessons until you have found your feet properly again, although that probably wont take long if you have skated as a child, but do take the odd lesson because it will stop you getting into any bad habits.

Good luck,
Samba

I'm going through the UK Learn to Skate course first with a friend of mine - see where that takes me.

I was put up to Level 2 on the first lesson, so that's a start!

I really enjoy the Skate UK classes- mainly because I've got to know so many people now that I look forward to catching up with them. Having private lessons alongside the group classes gives me a nice mix of learning along with having fun.

And speaking of ebay, I am in the process of selling everything which isn't essential to my survival to keep me in lesson funds for a little while- I don't know what I'd do without people who are willing to buy my unwanted rubbish!!

Clare

Welcome Airyfairy 76! I'm from the UK as well and started to learn to skate about 4 months ago. Am seriously hooked I started in Skate UK group lessons, but our rink only teaches to level 6 (don't know why) so I have now switched to private lessons and love it.

The bank balance is suffering, but I'm enjoying every single moment of it and getting fit in the process. One side effect of all the skating means that none of my old clothes fit any more....so now I have the cost of the skating and the cost of buying a new wardrobe

You probably live very near my daughter, then! We (Husband and I) are members of Alexandra Palace's ice dance club, and skate there once a month on Club nights. I have never skated at Sobell (I believe the ice surface is very small indeed, even smaller than Queen's), but our home club did a joint entry with them for Team Challenge a couple of years ago, and they sometimes send a show number team to various competitions, the So Belles, always excellent!

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!

I live in Crouch End, if that is close?

Sobell is very small, and I find it much harder skating there cos they don't seem to keep the ice as well as they do up at Ally Pally. I was there yesterday and today and it is seriously bumpy round the edges. Makes practicing backward skating at the moment rather hair-raising! And because it is so small, it is much more difficult to avoid the kamikaze hockey kids

Maybe if I practice a lot and become good enough, I may see you up at the ice dance club one day!

Welcome to SkatingForums, Amanda!

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Welcome! We're glad you have joined in all the fun of skating again as well as all the fun and frenzy you'll find here in the skatingforums.

Spot-on, it's exactly where they are living now! We call in on our way to Ally Pally.
Which is itself, pretty dreadful ice these days, with all that sloping round the edges. Time was, it used to have beautiful ice; it's so sad to see its decline.

I hope so! Once you can do forward crossovers and swing rolls, you're ready to start dance (about Skate UK level 5 or 6, normally); the people at AP are very tolerant of beginners and very helpful. And at Streatham - yes, I know, it's the wrong side of London for you - there is even a learn-to-dance class during dance club each week.

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Mrs Redboots
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I love my computer because my friends live in it!
Ice dancers have lovely big curves!