A festive outing turned into a frustrating surprise for a group of friends who discovered their eagerly anticipated “ice rink” was a complete illusion. Lupe Baeyens had envisioned a perfect Christmas kickoff at the Bussey Rooftop Bar in Peckham, but the reality was far from the glittering winter wonderland promised.
The advertised ice rink, a central draw for their visit, wasn’t ice at all – it was constructed entirely of plastic tiles. Upon arriving, the group quickly realized something was amiss, noticing a sparse crowd and the unsettling texture beneath their rented skates.
“We expected to be able to skate,” Baeyens explained, recalling the promotional images of effortless gliding. “But as soon as you tried, you just got stuck and fell forward. There was absolutely no way to glide.” The logistics of a real ice rink on a rooftop became painfully obvious.
Despite the disappointment, a touch of humor emerged from the situation. The friends quickly found themselves unable to skate, reduced to awkwardly walking around the plastic surface and enjoying the view. The atmosphere, however, was lacking, with other visitors sharing their dissatisfaction.
After a mere twenty minutes, the group requested and received a refund, feeling “a bit scammed” by the misleading advertising. The venue itself promoted the rink as “state-of-the-art synthetic,” but the difference between synthetic and the genuine article proved significant.
Baeyens pointed out the pervasive use of the word “ice” in all the promotional materials, including a large screen on the rooftop itself. The experience, while amusing, highlighted a disconnect between expectation and reality, leaving the friends with a story to tell and a slightly bruised sense of festive cheer.
They ultimately found the situation hilarious, documenting their experience with photos and videos. The lack of ice transformed the skating rink into a unique, if unintentional, sightseeing opportunity, offering a memorable view of the city.
