UKC

The greatly anticipated Reading Climbing Centre, John Dunne's third climbing wall, will open its doors to the public for the first time this Thursday, the 23rd September, at 5pm.

Read more at http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/news.php?id=3018

Shame about the prices

In reply to EscapeArtist:

True...

but did you see the pictures?!?!

Exciting looking wall, I'll almost certainly make time to drop in at some point.

In reply to UKC Gear:

Sounds like a library!

In reply to EscapeArtist:

Well, yes, but did you seriously expect anything different? Craggy is always rammed and they charge that much. Where else can you climb for less in the area in a quality centre?

The passes are very good value for regular climbers though. The only negative point for me is the £15 membership fee. It's pretty steep.

In reply to EscapeArtist:

Hmm - you've never climbed at the big London walls, presumably...

And while £15 for membership is fairly steep, it does apply to the other two Dunne walls as well.

Actually, I have climbed at a number of the larger London walls, it doesn't pay to make an assumption my friend, in fact its very bad practise in life and climbing specially.

While I am not keen on the £15 membership, I do appreciate its a one off, even the 1 time climb is OK the odd £8.75 isn't too bad, what I do take exception to is the 4 week has a £55... Even the month pass at craggy is £42 and the same for westway (mayber less, RCC is smaller than WW too)! At Surrey Sports Park you can get Gym, climb and swim for less each month alot.

The year pass is £40 more at RCC than MCC and HCC, for no other reason than because I live in the south (£400 is a lot to commit to upfront as well, we are not all rolling in it!), just where is the price decent? No bulk buy (i.e. x10 either).

http://readingclimbingcentre.com/prices/

Please, back you your arguments, if you think it’s good value.

In reply to EscapeArtist: How can you compare it to other walls when it isn't even open and therefore you haven't climbed there?? It might be ten times better than craggy or westway it might be ten times worse as well but we'll have to wait and see. Your argument about living in the south is a bit dumb as I'm sure that rent and rates are more expensive down here so being charged more 'for no other reason than I live in the south' is probably not quite right!

In reply to yesbutnobutyesbut:
My comparisons with WW and Craggy are based on the size of the centre, i.e. around 100(ish) roped lines and boulder space, and my observations on the pictured used to date on their website and facebook. Routes and problems are always hotly debated, my issue isn't there it's value for money.

I will also remind you that it is my opinion that the prices are higher than I would have liked, if you think the prices and the choices are OK, well good for you, I don't.

I am very keen to climb here, please don't get me wrong, most of my climbing friends are sick to the back teeth of my nonstop ramblings of how ace the centre will be and how close to home... BUT I have felt slightly snubbed by the prices (when viewed next to other centres in the area) when it comes to heavy users (i.e. 4 week, year and no bulk buy options).

In reply to UKC Gear:
I've only ever climbed indoors at the Castle as it's my local so not a lot to compare to but the shapes of the routes look pretty awesome to me? £400 a year to have access to training facilities of that standard is pretty damn good. Even if you only went twice a week for six months of the year it would work out at the standard day price so pretty good value?

In reply to EscapeArtist:

Ah the good ole north/south divide. I've just come back from a trip with several guys living and working in the south. All were quick to boast of their enhanced 'southern/London' salaries and hotshot career opportunities but equally quick to whinge about the prices. You've got to take the rough with the smooth.

In reply to EscapeArtist:


You are not comparing like with like - at Craggy you have to commit a minimum 3 month direct debit which rolls on unless you cancel it. This is not the same as a standalone payment. In fact, Reading works out cheaper by £11 over 3 months and £20 over the year...

And Surrey Sports park is part of the university, so does not have the same necessity of making money, so again you are not comparing like with like.


Well, as I am sure you are aware, rents and rates are going to be higher in the South than in the North, hence the difference.

Don't get me wrong, I'd love for it to be cheaper, but it was never going to happen.

In reply to royal:

you're joking?

If I kick up a big enough fuss, I can only hope in my delusional state that I can affect the prices... ha ha

Seriously thought, why not offer a bulk buy option though... I guess I could always get a separate (0%) credit card and wake the 400 on it, and then pay it off £34 a month.

:-/

In reply to UKC Gear:i climb at HCC and comparing that to reading i would gladly swap centres any day, but i do find the fact that £15 a bit steep considering its only £10 here and the other prices are a £1 less as well except under 18 but stop moaning reading looks amazing compared to manchester and harrogate

what a truly pathetic thread. a real climber tries to run what looks set to be a great wall as a business, not ripping people off, but actually a sustainable and improving business - and this is all you can talk about.

In reply to JonC:

Agreed, the locals have been whinging for ever about a lack of a wall in Reading & John does something about it & what do people do .. find something else to whinge about !!

In reply to JonC:

Actually, there is only one poster complaining, so this is a little unfair.

In reply to Monk:

You're right, but the thread has a theme which no one has deviated from.

The wall apparently opened last night so would be interesting to hear what people thought of it - apart from expensive

In reply to JonC:

I thought it was pretty good, although a slight worry is that the lines are very very close together which looks like they crammed the absolute maximum number of lines in that they could. & before ayone says that's what they all do, I'm sure they are closer than in most walls.
Cup of coffee was £2 a pop though !.
The frictions great on all the branc new holds though !! (Shame that won't last).

In reply to trouserburp:
In reply to trouserburp:
>In reply to royal:

>you're joking?

What could you build for £400? even a few mates together wont be able to come up with much more than an 8ft square board in a garage. Having a major facility like this would cost tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds and compares pretty well to me?

Went to the centre last night, lines are very nice (not too close together, maybe closer than some centres, but there are so many you shouldn't feel bunched up).

Phase 2 offers even more climbing, and the bouldering is going to be very nice, with a few cave areas.

I still stand by my comments regarding the pricing structure, and the lack of multi buys especially... But this is only one passing comment against the overall awesomeness of the centre... tea's good too (apparently)

I look forward to watching this centre develop into one of the best in the area!

In reply to EscapeArtist: the tea's amazing...

In reply to JonC:

Well, I popped in for a look on Saturday (didn't have time to climb, unfortunately) and it looks great. The bouldering area is going to be superb when they get the mats down, and they are planning to start setting very soon. There are loads of routes there, and they don't look too close together. The cafe was pretty good too, with a good view of the climbing. I can't wait to get back there and actually climb. One thing that struck me is that it was quite quiet on Saturday - I expected it to be rammed.

In reply to UKC Gear:


sorry i am going to have a rant defending the prices....
Been 3 times now, paid for membership and a 4 week pass, regarding the price, its CHEAPER THAN CRAGGY! craggy charge £12 PER YEAR for membership... £15 is for life.. so my £55 so far has given me 3 climbs (26.75 worth) and i have over 3 weeks left.. if i paid £400 for the year then I would be saving even more, not to mention i dont have to drive a 60 miles round trip!

anyway rant over..

the center is awesome, the place is huge and light with a sky light running the length, the cafe is very good, hot chocolate is amazing but not cheap, as much as I love the cafe i worry its not thinking "climber" that said beans on toast is super good!

just cant wait for the bouldering wall to open!

cheers Mr Dunne I love you.

In reply to UKC Gear:


If you've climbed there you'll love it and if you haven't you're not qualified to comment.

Finally went there to climb today after seeing it before all the routes were put up. Just as good as I thought it would be. The arch down the far end is great fun.

The only comment I can make, as everyone seems to be putting in a bad one, and this is nothing to do with the centre itself but the guys in the cafe upstairs told us we weren't allowed to eat up there. Unless you buy the food from them of course.
This is a bit concerning as I'm sure a lot of people who are heading to the wall for an afternoon, full day etc are generally going to bring their own food and snacks. If the cafe starts telling people they can't eat their own food in what is actually labelled as "seating area" then I'm not sure there's many other areas for people to chill out, eat and have a drink without paying the cafe prices.

rant.

I went today, cheaper than craggy if you pay for a year and cheaper as a one off visit, great routes odviously done by varying setters so plenty of styles, great walls loads of different angles giving very 3D climbing, loads of leading to. Best wall in the South? Yes I think so, by miles!

In reply to EscapeArtist: just wondering what the £15 is for-im guessing initial registration forms etc.so my local was charges £3.50 for registration so what extra do you get for the extra £11.50?

In reply to JonC:

It's called capitalism Jon, part of a free market economy you generally seem so keen on. If people want to bitch about the prices, they can.

I have heard of John Dunne btw...