UKC

Phil Robins spoke to The Sheffield Star today. There's a piece on why he shut The Edge going in the business supplement tomorrow.

In reply to rubbercrumb:

I'll look out for that, ta for the heads up.

In reply to rubbercrumb:

Hopefully it will be online (for those of us no longer able to clasp The Star in our grubby little mitts).

Always liked Phil. Remember when he took it over (after a bit of a false start, not in any way his fault). Glad that he ran it for so many years and gave so many people a lot of pleasure.

Businesses (even successful ones) are tricky. Best of luck for Phil in his new venture.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ward:


If not, could someone scan or photograph it and link to it on this thread.

In reply to rubbercrumb:

It's a shame. It was my favourite wall back when I lived in Sheffield.

In reply to davidbeynon:

There's a piece on Sheffield Star online/Business.

In reply to rubbercrumb:

http://www.thestar.co.uk/news/business/competition-hits-climbing-wall-the-e...

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

It's a real shame that the wall has closed as it was nice to go there for a change but it just wasn't as good as the other walls in Sheffield. Mainly restricted by size.
Also blaming Awesome Walls and announcing that he hasn't paid himself a wage in four years seems a little short sighted.
I'm no businessman and don't know if the abbeydale cinema is a viable climbing wall but I do know that the works is often too busy to use in an evening and wouldn't be surprised if they're getting 200-300 customers a day.

In reply to deacondeacon:


It doesn't sound like he is blaming Awesome walls in a negative way, more just stating a fact that competition was fierce with other big investments in climbing walls in the area. You don't seem so concerned about his reference to the climbing works.

Why do you consider this admission along with the fact that he hasn't been taking a wage short sighted?

The only thing I take from this is that the business has been struggling for a long time and perhaps it would have been better to have realised these problems a while back and got the cinema wall going before Awesome got going.

In reply to deacondeacon:

I dont read that he blamed any one factor or that it was in any sense short sighted.

Thanks again Phil for keeping the wall open as long as you did and for all you have done for local climbing.

In reply to Offwidth:

Totally agree.

It sounds as though there is over-supply in the market. Obviously there's consumer choice as to which supply they go with: accessibility, fashion, etc. And there may be markedly different cost bases.

Re comments above: to state the obvious, businesses are all about people, customers, staff, etc. When things struggle, if you care about those people, it's hard to take an axe to things. You struggle on, paying others' wages but not your own. You hope that things will get better. Sometimes they just don't.

It sounds as though Phil has been decent, honourable and done everything he possibly could. He deserves the thanks of thousands of people.

Mick

In reply to Alan James - Rockfax:

"Abbey Snooker Club which has been in the basement for nearly 100 years closed recently after its lease was not renewed.

Phil said new tenants planned to open the basement as a music venue. "

That'll be why the existing music venue is also out then. Seems rather a shame too, there's been a billiards room in there since the day the building first opened.

In reply to rubbercrumb:

Have been member for two years and to be honest also use Awesome walls, the two whilst being climbing walls are totally different one small and not social media engaged the other large well marketed and forward thinking with good offers and creative in its approach in business rest on your laurels and you lose out.