UKC

My local climbing wall in Stirling is currently run by a local organisation set up by the Council to provide a wide range of Leisure Services which it has done so for many years. Tonight the Council looks likely to vote to hand over the running of those services to a Company called Sports & Leisure Management.
I understand they operate widely South of the Border - does anyone on here climb at a wall run by them and if so what do you think of their service?

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

We have a climbing wall which is run in cooperation between the local council (who I think own the facility), a leisure company which seems to change every few years (Currently Better Leisure Centres) and a local user group. This has always worked well. I would suggest you get a local user group together to represent your interests if you don't already have one. Our user group does all the route setting in return for free use of the wall, which is a win win!

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Looks like the run big walls like Londons The Westway climbing centre.

https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre-finder/

Search for climbing in facilities.

In reply to tmawer:

The only wall I use weekly or more is the one in our barn. Happily I don't have any problem with the way it's managed since I built it myself and set all the routes.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

https://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/page.php?id=7867#1

In reply to john arran:

Nice....ours costs us nothing, fresh holds every year, no heating costs etc. Thought in the past of creating my own, but this works well for all really, with few (but some) down sides.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Ours is owned and ran by our or the climbing club. Ran at pretty much cost, lots of volunteer help etc... family club membership and annual use of wall just under £200, what's not to like. At that price it's not worth building anything myself etc..

I think as climbing is now seen by some as an alternative to going to a gym, then non climber owner / management is only likely to increase . Like the problems a 16yr old mentioned on the other thread.

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

Keith
You'll be delighted to learn the council has thought better, and have withdrawn from the proposed model. A local community-based model will continue to run local sport and leisure facilities.

In reply to IanMcC:
Thanks Ian - I can catch up on the details tomorrow.

In reply to Lemony:


Excuse my ignorance, (I've only skim read it) but what relevance has that to the OP?

In reply to Lusk:

Andrew Earl co owns Climb Newcastle, sat firmly in my 5 favourite walls.

In reply to spenser:


Isn't that the one that doesn't allow people to use a bowline ?

In reply to I like climbing:

No that's Newcastle Climbing Centre. Climb Newcastle is a bouldering only centre (which is well worth a visit)

In reply to Max Clarke:

Thanks, Max !

In reply to keith-ratcliffe:

The walls I use are owned and run by climbers. And I think all staff are climbers too. All seem pretty well run. The only complaint is that one wall won't buy holds for the bouldering wall and that's down to misguided ideas by the owner I believe.

I suppose the company that takes over will hopefully listen and take notice of what climbers tell them. So the outcome will depend on well they listen and also who they listen to, since not all climbers will have the same ideas about everything.

I've been to the Westway wall in London on several occasions and it seemed fairly well managed from what I could tell. Most of the routesetting seemed OK-ish which is surely one of the most important factors.

In reply to alx:


Still a bit early to tell if they're an improvement over the Westway Trust or not