But Medway Council bosses are insisting the synthetic ice rink in Rochester was a success - despite the heavy loss.

They say the fact it attracted television attention will bring visitors to the area.

But other councillors say the ice rink was "hidden away" in the wrong place.

Optimistic figures

The Dickens Winter Wonderland Festival was held on the temporary rink at Rochester Castle Gardens.

It was hoped to attract 9,000 skaters, but the projected visitor numbers proved optimistic.

Skaters failed to flock to the castle ice rink

But Conservative councillor Jane Chitty still maintained the move would bring in money.

She said: "We have to find new ways of promoting these events and encouraging tourism and the value both in cash and jobs is very significant.

"For example, there's going to be an eight minute slot on Wish You Were Here, this is going to promote the people of the Medway Towns and give opportunities to bring more and more people in."

Liberal Democrat councillor John Booth said: "My own personal view is it could have proved very popular if it was somewhere like the Chatham centre, rather than hidden away in the back of Rochester Castle."