UKC

I'm peaved off with the price increase at the liverpool climbing centre.Wouldnt mind so much if they had some decent problems! they seriously need to pull there finger out and blits the place with new and INTERESTING bouldering canundrums! £6.50 entrance and 70p for a broo! cheek of it. get a grip liverpool. there going to loose good loyal customers.Am i expecting too much?

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:


Am i expecting too much? You might be to complain if the wall is connected to UKC !

In reply to loco2manis: who is UKC and do they have a web site?

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:

lol

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!: They do, you are, look here and same it!

Stu

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:

have you talked to the wall staff about it? might be helpful...

In reply to CJD: I have found in these situations the staff are either a, full of different reasons to justify there or there bosses actions or b,agree with you because they think your right but there aint any thing they can do about it!

In reply to loco2manis:

that price doesn't sound so different to many other walls, and at least the staff (and atmosphere) there are friendly. (I'm biased, admittedly, as one of the staff is a good friend, but even so...) What about talking to them again and offering to set some boulder problems?

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:
Although the wall staff are generally friendly and helpful it has been mentioned on several occasions and apparently the bouldering sections are not a priority at all.If the problems where changed as often as the routes it would be worth it but at £6.50 a time it is very expensive for what`s on offer and anyone thinking of going I would advise carrying on to Boulderuk or Rochdale.

In reply to Cantbebotheredregistering:

Slightly off topic...

Well done to Awesome Walls for hosting this years BUSA competition. Excellent job, great facility, really friendly staff, fantastic atmosphere.

I wouldn't batter an eyelid at paying their prices to climb at such a great venue.

Iain

In reply to Cantbebotheredregistering: i think the bouldering cave down stairs is changed as often as any given panel of the lead areas, just the routes are changed in rotation, rather than all at once. admittedly, the ground floor and upstairs bouldering is not changed so much, but there are so many holds i find it hard to believe there are no possible problems you havent tried, just needs a bit more imagination to make up your own routes.

In reply to Beans!nofrills & Cantbebotheredregistering:

The Bouldering sections are as much a priority as the rest of the climbing centre.

At AWCC we have 5 very different bouldering areas -

1, The Crypt has been reset with 44 problems every month since it opened one year ago.
2, The resin wall has limited bolt-ons placements that have been changed several times this year but most people use their imagination with the hundreds of features available.
3, The upstairs woody is plastered with over 500 bolt-ons that people create their own test pieces. This will be stripped soon and re-plastered for the same.
4, The stepped bouldering wall has just been stripped (again) and will be reset this week.
5, The traverse wall is reset every two months.

With regards to your comments on travelling to BoulderUK or Climb Roachdale (both very good walls)I would like to point out that we have 417m2 of bouldering compered to 232m2 at Climb Roachdale and 181m2 at BoulderUK.

'but at £6.50 a time it is very expensive for what`s on offer' - Now your trying to wind me up, surely?

If anyone would like further clarification on the above points please contact me at AWCC or email me.

Thanks,


Dave Douglas
AWCC
http://www.awesomewalls.co.uk

In reply to Iain Downie: Yes well done on hosting the comp, thought it ran very smoothly. Shame about the backlog on the traversing routes.
As for the excellent facillity, I was a little dissapointed - I'd heard great things about the place, but thought it was looking a little tired. The toilets seemed pretty poor and the seating wasn't up to much. I guess it's beacause it's been opperating for quite a while now. When was the last time they gave the place a good clean?
I should say, the Awesome blueberry muffin did not dissapoint though!

I think that centres need to almost reinvent themselves once in a while, maybe even close for a week whilst they paint, hoover, clean and set a load of new routes. Gloucester would also benefit from this kind of treatment.

In reply to shorum:

Sorry to read that you were a little dissapointed with my climbing centre. On an average day the centre is cleaned throughout.
Saturday was a fantastic day with nearly 500 people in the centre. This is THE largest competition in the UK.
With regards to seating for the event, I opted not to have any on safety grounds and that most climbers would rather make 'there own space' on the floor.

I'm glad that you liked our muffins at least!

Thanks for your comments.

Dave Douglas
AWCC
http://www.awesomewalls.co.uk

In reply Beans!Nofrills!:
Just trying to give customer feedback as these where several complaints I heard from regular users I spoke to. I had`nt been for a few weeks and was disappointed to have travelled down to find the boulder problems where still the same.

In reply to D Douglas:
I understand that things must be extremely difficult with that many people and removing seating to make circulation space makes a lot of space.

I just felt that the place could generally do with brightening up.

In reply to shorum:

i agree, it did look a bit tired, the comp was fantastic! with many good routes, but i cant help feeling that the holds not being used on the wall by a problem should have been removed, like on the stepped overhang, this of course is more work for the organisers, but would make the routes feel a bit more thought about. but all in all it was a great time had by all, with a good days bouldering at the roaches on sunday.

Thanks

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:
>Am i expecting too much?

I've been going to Broughton on and off for 15years. The place is a third of the size of Awesomes bouldering and yet I've still never run out of things to do.

Awesome wall is by far the best NW bouldering venue and your comments about route changing just don't stack up.

Without wishing to be patronising, have you ever thought of using a little imagination?

And £6.50? Well thats the going rate and compared to what you get elswhere for that ammount of money its cheap. Work it out £'s per hour spent there and it's cheaper than sitting at home!!

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:
Sounds reasonable to me. We stopped going to one of the local walls a year ago when they put up their prices to £7 per visit plus £10 per year, which for us worked out at about £8.50 per visit.
And if Awesome Walls Wakefield happens and is similarly priced they'll be 30p cheaper than Leeds

In reply to Dave D: hwasrd a rumour that red chilli would be down the wall this wednesday. true or rumour???

In reply to D Douglas:

On an average day the centre is cleaned throughout. WHEN, throught the day or throughout the year once

The toilets are scruffy, and so far I have never found them to be clean.

Just to add some more points

bad lightning on the leading walls
ususally cold and damp
dirty holds
bad controlled children parties. So far I have only come across one awesome wall supervisor who seems to be able to control children
I dont feel that the place is safe enough to leave your clothes etc in the boxes provided

no seating areas (or not enough space) to enjoy a cuppa

On a positive note though, the route setting is very good, imaginative and flowing.

On the pricing however, the Manchester climbing centre charges £6.50 for members and provides you with very clean toilets, general, the facilities are to high spec and it is a joy to climb there. £6.50 for Awesome wall sounds far to high in comparison


rant over

In reply to ceri:

Very true, plus there's a fun speed competition with prizes!

Dave D.
AWCC

In reply to Petra Ernst:

Thanks for your comments (rant) on my wall, however I strongly disagree with all of them.

Dave Douglas
AWCC
http://www.awesomewalls.co.uk

In reply to D Douglas:

Dave, I don't think 6.50 is an unreasonable price for a facility but I do find its restrictive ( I don't climb at AW very much so not a problem for me). I do find that when the rpices start to hit this level it becomes too expensive to climb twice a week. If you put the price from 5 pounds to 6.50 (for example) i'd end up paying you less money. I climb at NWF regularly but buy a 10 ticket pass for 51 pounds I think which is reasonable to me to climb twice a week. Theres no way i'd pay the extra regularly and just go to the crag instead. The extra 3 pounds is all I need to justify driving to the peak on a summer evening for a short time.
Pete

In reply to D Douglas:

what a shame,

may be your wall would improve if you were to consider some of my points.

I think, the lightning issues have been raised by number of climbers in earlier threads. so have the children parties and the dirty holds

The toilet issues has been raised on this thread.

May be you should come and climb at your wall on Saturdays or Sundays to see for yourself how the children parties are managed and may be use the toilet whilst there.

Pumuckl
Pumuckl

In reply to Petra Ernst:

If you've got such a problem with it then climb somewhere else!


These groups of children that you refer to are also the responsibility of the organisers not just the instructors. Afterall the instructors need to monitor the safety of the kids climbing, and the ones you have a problem with are no doubt the ones waiting to have a go.

I personally think it is one of if not the best facility the NW has to offer for both bouldering and climbing.

At £6.50 its a deal and its only gone up 50 pence.

In reply to D Douglas:

I like your wall and regularly drive from north wales to climb there on winter evenings. I've got a bit annoyed with all the people complaining on here about it.

It's a good wall and good value and 6.50 isn't that much for an evening's climbing actually... you might get a bit cheaper elsewhere but there are lots of walls that are more expensive. And not as good.

Maybe people should be spending less time in the toilets and more time climbing?

In reply to Petra Ernst:

sounds like you are a troll, maybe from a rival wall....

Your comments do not reflect my own experience.

First class wall.

In reply to whoever mentioned manchester: manchester is £6.50 for memnbers, but you have to pay £12 to register, and £200 or something to be a member, adding up to significantly more than £6.50 a visit.

In reply to Petra Ernst: Sorry pal, but you're talking out of your arse!

It's a great wall, it's well run, most of the kids groups are very well supervised, it's the downtime when they aren't climbing that they ocassionally get boisterous, but even then, what do you expect, they've just been given a great buzz!

I don't know what your talking about with regard to lightning issues, there appears to be a perfectly adequate conductor on the outside of the building!

Yeah, the tiolets are not fancy, but you're invariably only going to use them for a few minutes and I'd rather Dave spent his money on the climbing than on Turkish Marble tiles and and fancy taps!

In reply to CENSORED: and at least the loos are indoors now!

by the way, after the comment on not feeling safe leaving stuff in the pigeon holes, has anyone actually had anything nicked there?

In reply to ceri: Not me and not even by the kids I've taken there!

In reply to neilh:

I actually climb at Awesome walls fairly regular and I am not from a rival wall. However, may be my expectation of what is a good wall are different to yours.

In terms of the Instructor is responsible for the safety of the children. I meant birthday parties and the asssociated noise, running around of children underneath other climbers (very safe ehhh).

I have had nothing stolen from the pigeon boxes as yet but my car was broken in and the radio taken. On certain days, Awesome walls can get "uninvited visitors" who seem to walk around and then leave. Unfortunatly and this could well be a judgement of mine, some of these visitors look rather untrustworthy

On the whole and as mentioned earlier, the wall is good and like with everything somethings can be improved and that's all.

AND the route setting is better than most walls

In reply to ceri:

Isn't it 12 pounds to register then 6.50 a visit at Manchester?

I thought the 250 quid was for a year's membership, i.e. you climb for free?

I think Awesome Walls is by far *the* best! (route variety and interest, clean & unpolished holds, new routes, good atmosphere, cost, staff etc etc etc). This is based on recent climbs at about 10 different UK walls.

In reply to MeMeMe: doesnt seem to be, the price list gives a membership fee then a "normal" and "members" entry fee.

In reply to Petra Ernst:

i sort of agree with what you've said. I've had my car bvroken into in the car park (reported to staff) and theres cctv there now. The areas just dodgy and I don't really like leaving stuff lying around. Kids groups are always a pain at any wall. 70p for a cup of tea is a bit steep. Its only 1.15 at warrington station. Dave has said that theres masses more area of bouldering at AW then boulder UK or rochdale. I'd climb at the latter 2 any day. The crypt is ok but nothing special. The routes in the crypt can be cool but there so short its silly and i'm not a fan of the overhang wall in back left as its pretty much the same crux move on every problem (due to the shape of the wall). The routing is good though. Its a lot better than NWF for routes. The outside toilets are a disgrace. I've heard theres inside loos now but didn't find them last time I went. It doesn't matter how often they get cleaned they still smell pretty bad.
Pete

In reply to Hotbad Peteel:


Isn't the same true of loos in almost any public building?

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!: WOW... a 50p hike in what 2 years!!!!. Big deal, it's still a great wall with good routes and a fair bit of quality bouldering.

Look at the improvements that have gone on inside Awesome in the last 5 years, think how much they cost. A price increase equivalent to 1/4 of a pint after climbing isn't much in the whole picture is it?

Andy F

In reply to Petra Ernst: If walls didn't have children's clubs and parties then you would be paying considerably more for your climbing. Kids subsidise climbers. If kids are getting under climbers bouldering then a gentle word to their instructor generally does the trick, its just some climbers think they have a God given right to climb at a centre and everyone else shouldn't be there. Perhaps everyone has a God given right to climb at Awesome Walls, Undercover Rock, Alien Rock and NWF!

In reply to Ian Dunn:

This is so true, why do some people insist on complaining about busy climbing walls? if they werent busy and therefore succesfull there wouldnt be a wall there! after talking to the manager of craggy island in guildford i realised that many climbing walls would not exist if it wasnt for kids clubs and the like! Some people are so inconsiderate to the children, i was there (craggy) last week and some guy kept falling off a route shouting swear words out like it was the end of the world! fair enougth? not when there were 30 kids around, at least one parent promised never to take their child there again!

Christ on a bike, the bitching that goes on... Seems to me there's a lot of anti-liverpool sentiment in the some of the posts above. I've been going to awesome walls since it was opened, it's probably the best run and friendliest wall in the country. I leave my kit on the floor, in the open and it's never, ever gone walk about.

There's been some car crime... guess what? it's in a CITY, there's idiot scallies around, Duh!

You don't think there's enough seating? How many crags provide seats? Sit on your backside, the place is carpeted.

The routes are well set, realistically graded (for indoors) and regularly changed.

I hate the cheapskate nature of some people. if there's a good service you have to pay for it... bloody students (you can tell the OP was by a student because the standard of English was dire).

In reply to ceri:

an if not a member £8 Peak time!!!!!!!!!!!!

In reply to ceri:

Anyone been and know?

I had a look at the website and it seems to be like you say. But....I just can't believe that you'd have to pay 250 quid for membership, that sounds more like a year's free entry kind of thing.

If you only saved 1.50 for membership (8-6.50) then you'd have to go more than 3 times a week on average for it to be worthwhile, which seems unlikely.

In reply to MeMeMe:
The way I read it is this:

To turn up and climb costs £8

If you're going to climb more regularly then join as a member; registration costs £12, then entrance is £6.50

If you want a years unlimited climbing, then you pay the £250. (Although it's not clear if this price includes the £12 registration or not - I would say not).

In reply to shorum:

Yeah, that's what seems sensible to me, but the website isn't very clear.
I'm supposed to be going this weekend so I guess I'll find out then.

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:

I went there today with some friends and have to say I thought the expansion downstairs with indoor toilets, showers and seating area is great. It's nice and quiet downstairs away from the groups upstairs and the crypt is nice and cool/empty.

It's worth the extra 50p to have all these improvements, which must have cost a fair amount to implement.

I haven't had anything nicked from there in the 3-4 years I have been going...

In reply to ceri:

oops! thats not correct, lifetime membership/registration costs £12.00 and then £6.50 per visit at peak times (£5 off-peak. non registered folk can climb for £8.00

You can buy an annual membership for £250 which entitles you to climb as many times as you like at no addition cost (plus at the moment, I think they are throwing in a t-shirt and an MCC chalk bag).

You can buy a 10 and 20 climb pass as well.

I would think it a bit unfair to compare the toilets at AW with MCC as the Manchester wall as only been open for just over 2 weeks.

As for prices, there can be very few places where you can entertain yourself for the evening for £6.50

Jeff C

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:
A little understanding goes a long way in this world, and it does wonders for your blood pressure.

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!: Obviously, as a no frills specialist, you should be going to the wall at the YMCA!

TW*T!

Get a grip! I cant say what i really want to, but is goes like this. I've climbed all over the country, mainly due to working all over the place!
Pricing at Awesome Walls isn't off the mark at all.
The Castle in London was £9.50 when i last visited. It was a bit of a shock but i love my climbing. They could of smiled when they took my money though(Oh i'm a bitch).
Routes are re-set regularly at AWCC, but not once a week! But i'm sure people out there bitching about the problems and routes wouldn't have a bloody clue about running a business or setting for that matter. Its not viable to reset every week, it would cause more customer complaints about restricted access to the walls, and climbers want to have another crack at a route they didn't quite manager the previous week plus it would cost a fortune! Bloody Hell, I don't think I'll bother opening my wall....
You Northern climbers are brilliant, you drink too excess and are at the crag early ,leaving me in my tent to sleep it off... But your tight buggers when it come to money!

In reply to extreeemclimber:

Okay folks, heres the thing I haven't climbed at all for a few months (various sporting commitments and an injury.) However! Awesome walls was my first (and so far only) taste of climbing and the place that I use.
I would like to defend all the staff who have always been willing and able to help a complete novice with tips and advice.
The kids are a pain some times but shouldn't everyone be encouraging their participation in the activity you all claim to love?
I'm a student, so paying anything is too much! But it's not bad when you spend a while there.
It can be a bit dark but nowhere's perfect. If you are cold, climb some more.
The place is excellent and has improved considerably in the last couple of years I've been using the place. If you want change, be constructive, talk to the man, suggest and prod. Dont just bitch about someoneelses ahrd work.
Here endeth the sermon. Ta

In reply to Beans!Nofrills!:
I don't do much bouldering so i won't comment on that. However I Do use the lead walls & find the routes to be very good quality & changed as regularly as anywhere [I love the overhanging end wall].
So far as price & facilities it is the going rate at Northwest face & Manchester both of which are good but are also smaller. The toilets aren't the best but are clean. The parking area is very large (Northwest has problems)and I've not heard of any security worries (Manchester? even though it is covered by cctv).

If you want a large area of walls go to Liverpool, if want a nice comfy seat & shower stay at home.