UKC

I am looking to start a climbing wall bussiness and looking at demographics I consider that Aberdeen still has spare capacity for another wall (unless I have missed one (Uni Wall RGC and Extreme). Anybody with any views to this would be appreciated, simple yes or no would be good but happy to chat over a coffee with anybody who would be interested in the concept?

Failing that, is there anywhere else that people consider that is in desperate need of a wall?

Thanks, looking forward to your feedback, good and bad.

In reply to herman0055: No dont think it needs another wall. Does the excuse for a wall at the beach leisure centre still exist?

In reply to stumpy: It has a population of 200,000 which on paper would support a third wall,and do you not think climbers like to change venue and route setting every now and then. Extreme £9 a session a bit steep I think? Not sure about the wall your on abaout, I will check it out.

In reply to herman0055:

You obviously like a challenge. Aberdeen only got a decent wall(s) recently, and it wasn't for the want of several attempts. The city lacks suitable buildings for conversion. In other cities disused industrial premises such as wharehouse/foundaries formed suitable venues, or alternatively churches. In Aberdeen due to the oil industry there is no cheap post-industrial 'wasteland' crying out for alternative use, and churches quickly get converted to flats. Green-field sites are also very limited and would be expensive.

Transition only suceeded because of skilfull negotiation with the council resulted in the council providing the land virtually gratis due to Transitions charitable aims.

Good luck.

In reply to ScraggyGoat: Thamks missed the boat on that on. I was also looking at Arbroath as it has a climbing community and sea cliffs plus tourist venue. The downside is that it is onlt 20000.

In reply to herman0055:
I honestly think you'd struggle in Aberdeen for another wall. Transition is packed when the corporate decathlon is on, and on tuesdays as theres a couple of clubs that climb then but apart from then its never rammed with folk. That suggests that the market isn't as big as you think. I do agree that its getting very pricy though, and the multi-buy tickets don't save you much any more either compared to one off entries.

One observation I would make is that transitions bouldering facilities are pretty limited (and normaly quite busy)and perhaps a bouldering orientated wall (I'm thinking like Alien 2 in Edinburgh, or TCA in Glasgow, extreme dream in Aviemore etc) might get a bit of custom and be easier to find premises for? RGU does have a really good (compared to transition) bouldering wall - not sure how well used it is though.

Cheers,

Stuart

In reply to herman0055: As said above.

Doubt there's a market for a new lead wall but a bouldering wall could be of interest to quite a few if it's cheaper than £9!

In reply to herman0055: I'd agree with a bouldering wall, RGU's bouldering room is a better space than transition, but nobody uses it, and the problems don't seem to have changed or been graded for god knows how long.

Building wise there are two prime candidates that I know of, both up for lease/sale, that would make perfect bouldering centres, except for lack of parking. They're both in Rosemount, so that wouldn't really be an issue.

In reply to herman0055:

TE is opening its new development on Saturday,

http://teclimbing.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/gran-opening-of-dream-tower.html

Also its only 9quid if your not a member, and the monthly/annual passes work out as a good deal.

In reply to herman0055:

Elgin!

In reply to ScraggyGoat: You have hit the nail on the head, I am aware or have been involved loosely with several attempts to get a wall up and running in Aberdeen prior to Transition and all struggled for the reasons you have outlined. Rental/purchase prices and planning constraints are prohibitive (parking spaces are required even if you are outwith the centre).In response to Herman, I cannot see where the market is and as fine as the bouldering wall notion is I struggle to see the market, particularly when so many folk have home boards. Transition has just made a massive investment in a new tower (which looks fantastic) and I know they intend looking at the bouldering, or lack of it, but this costs and I can't imagine the margins are big.

In reply to herman0055:

Regarding Arbroath - you'll be lucky if the "climbing community" there exceeds 10 people. During dry weather the local sea cliffs and Kirrie are where many of your customers are likely to go climbing, instead of climbing indoors at a wall.

In Scotland, for any wall to have a chance of being financially viable (for that is the point of a privately owned wall isn't it?) it probably has to have a significant student community living nearby.

Also, do not get too hung up on local population density figures - because, it's how many of the local population can afford the expense of visiting your wall (and subsequently choose to spend their hard-earned money at your wall) that really matters!! ... remember, there are plenty of towns in Scotland with lots of skint folk living in them.

Cheers

Ian

In reply to herman0055:

I lived in Fort William for a year and a half and was constantly frustrated at the long, sickness inducing, drive to Kinlochleven if I want to climb anything over 3m indoors. Although the population there is quite small, even taking into account the surrounding villages and glens, it is a tuorist hotspot in the, often rainy, summer due to the Nevis effect. There are a lot of people wondering around the town getting soaked in the UK's "Outdoor Capital" who I'm sure would be happy to spend a wee bit to try out climbing for the first time.

On top of this A LOT of guides are based in and around Fort William, who I'm sure would frequent a wall there with clients.

Just a thought bourne of 18 months of frustration!

In reply to herman0055:

In Aberdeen transition esp. with the new tower is excellent and well managed, RGU is good as well and the beach wall is the old school alternative. The market is saturated and additionally many will climb outside from spring to autumn when the weather is OK.

Fort William, Inverness (one wall already) and maybe Skye (Mike Lates is the man to ask) might be suitable venues for climbing walls in Scotland.

In reply to herman0055:

I reckon in scotland, Perth & Stirling are the two major citys still in need of a decent wall. Infact one well placed wall would serve both well as they are only 30-40 min apart. I still think ratho should have been built in stirling, for a "National" centre it's reachable from most of the major cities....

In reply to Burnsie:

I believe there's a new wall about to be built in Perth. At least, that's what a bloke I bumped into at Dunkeld a couple of months ago told me. They were just waiting for the construction team to finish on the new tower at Transition in Aberdeen before they could get started...

In reply to herman0055: I was on the new "dream" tower at Transition today, some really nice routes, it may just be me, but I found the spacing between walls a but tight, especially where some routes wander and your next hold is hidden by another persons crotch. But that's a minor issue. All in all, a great new addition to Transition.

In reply to herman0055: Build it and they will come