UKC

Annual membership to The Depot...something not right?

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 The Lemming 22 Nov 2017

Just been chatting to my mate who has an annual membership with The Depot in Manchester, nothing untoward there however he is now having to make regular work trips to Birmingham and would like to check out the new Birmingham Depot while down there.

My mate was hoping that he could use his annual member ship to The Depot while he is in Birmingham but he tells me that this is not possible.

My mate says that he has a membership to the YMCA and that he can use any of their establishments. Isn't this the same sort of setup with other franchises/organisations like gyms such as Bannatyne where annual membership is transferable to which ever establishment you rock up to?

Seeing as The Depot is now an establishment with three locations, is it not a good idea to have membership to the company rather than the individual location?

You can only be in one place at one time and it would generate good will to loyal customers.

A fine marketing tool, to boot?
Post edited at 17:28
 Neil Williams 22 Nov 2017
In reply to The Lemming:
Not all gyms offer that, some charge for a more premium membership for it. It might depend on the ownership structure of the three walls - Big Rock subscriptions never worked at the Beacon despite them both nominally being under the "Climb UK" banner, and part of that I think is because they had different ownership/investors with only some of the ownership in common. Though Big Rock have said memberships in MK will work at the new Bletchley centre when that opens.
Post edited at 17:31
Lusk 22 Nov 2017
In reply to The Lemming:
Looks like he's been told porkies.
Their website says membership is 'valid across all depot sites'.
https://www.theclimbingdepot.co.uk/manchester/about/opening-times-prices
Post edited at 17:35
 Lemony 22 Nov 2017
In reply to Lusk:

I assume he means an annual pass rather than membership.
Lusk 22 Nov 2017
In reply to Lemony:

If that is the case, I'd be well pissed, coming in at £400!
 jezb1 22 Nov 2017
In reply to The Lemming:

Something's not right, you've posted about a climbing topic!
Lusk 22 Nov 2017
In reply to jezb1:

Maybe someone's hacked into his account?
OP The Lemming 22 Nov 2017
In reply to Lusk:

> If that is the case, I'd be well pissed, coming in at £400!

Just spoke to my mate again.

The annual pass of £5 is transferable over the three sites.

However the £400 annual fee is site specific. This means that my mate pays quite a lot of cash to climb in Manchester and if he wants to visit any of the other two sites then he has to pay more money.

In my eyes this seems a bit harsh. Ok my mate mostly plays at the Manchester Depot because he lives an hour away so it's understandable that he will go there and get his money's worth, so why not allow reciprocal rights to visit one of the other two sites with the same membership rights?

My mate can only be in one place at a time so does it really matter which site he visits or is the Depot expecting him to stump up another £400 per site?

Or is he asking too much?
In reply to The Lemming:

My husband and I pay £66.30 monthly for a couple membership at awesome walls (just shy of £400 a year each) and that allows you to use any awesome walls.

Sometimes with gyms it's a set amount for membership using one gym and slightly more for multi access, is that an option for the depot?

I would expect at least a discounted rate going to a difference centre if I was paying £400 membership they should reward loyalty.
 winhill 22 Nov 2017
In reply to The Lemming:

Depot Manchester was set up in conjunction with Kendal Wall, so there could be some financial issues swapping around if they retain an interest.

But there are 4, soon to be 5 sites he can't swap between.

Entry to Birmingham and Manchester are more expensive, due to being bigger, I guess, but the annual pass cost is the same, so quite reasonable. Although I can see the argument that being marooned in Birmingham deserves some compensation.

None of the multi-site walls offer this ATM do they? If they get up to 20 walls across the country perhaps they'll feel so rich they'll introduce a similar scheme but I believe the original owners are Yorkshiremen.
 Oceanrower 23 Nov 2017
In reply to winhill:
>

> None of the multi-site walls offer this ATM do they?

Going out on a limb here, I think John Dunnes "chain" (Manchester, Reading, Harrowgate and Huddesfield offer this) but I might be wrong.

I know that if you've a monthly DD at White Spider it get's you into Red Spider (and Vice Versa)
Post edited at 00:21
 snoop6060 23 Nov 2017
In reply to The Lemming:

I have an annual one at one of their centres and get charged at the others. I suspect it's because the depot centres are seperate companies.
 planetmarshall 23 Nov 2017
In reply to winhill:

> None of the multi-site walls offer this ATM do they?

A pass for Awesome Walls is valid at any of their sites. As to why that's not the case for the Depot, the OP could always ask. I have no idea what their corporate structure is - they could well be franchises operating under the Depot brand.
 JLS 23 Nov 2017
In reply to snoop6060:

>"I have an annual one at one of their centres and get charged at the others. I suspect it's because the depot centres are seperate companies."

Even so, you'd think that the numbers of people involved, occasionally climbing away from their home wall are actually very low.
On that basis and that it's likely to be swings and roundabout, you'd think they could afford to let it go for the sake of good will.
Andy Gamisou 23 Nov 2017
In reply to jezb1:

> Something's not right, you've posted about a climbing topic!

He did pose it in terms of a question though - so maybe the world is safe for another day.

 stp 23 Nov 2017
In reply to Caroline_Schofield:

I was going to mention Awesome Walls and they are awesome that respect. It's really nice not being pinned down to the same wall all the time.

There are other schemes that allow flexibility. Awesome Walls was also the first wall (in Sheffield at least) to sign up to the MoveGB scheme. For a monthly fee this allows one access to a range of fitness based activities, 7 visits per week, to participating businesses which include everything from crossfit to yoga. The Foundry soon followed suit so MoveGB members can visit either wall along with all the other stuff. Hoping the Climbing Works will follow suit at some point.

Ultimately it would be nice if one pass could get you in to any wall in the country. After all you can only be at one place at a time.

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