[Tris]

With all the complaints about facilities in Manchester has no one ever thought about starting a co-op and all chipping in for a venue then building exactly what you want? 24x7 access with a key each.

It sounds like a good idea and I would be more than willing to chip in cash and time doing somewhere up. I just think it will struggle in other areas like ongoing maintenance. Like who pays the rent/mortgage on a place? What about electricity and other bills, council tax, water etc etc - would anyone be willing to put them in their name and chase other people for the cash? Would you need building insurance? Liability insurance?

Sorry to be pessimistic, but if that idea were to take off you would need at least one person to be serious about taking on those responsibilities. Getting people together and chipping in cash to build it is the easy part.

[tomtom]

With all the complaints about facilities in Manchester has no one ever thought about starting a co-op and all chipping in for a venue then building exactly what you want? 24x7 access with a key each.

It sounds like a good idea and I would be more than willing to chip in cash and time doing somewhere up. I just think it will struggle in other areas like ongoing maintenance. Like who pays the rent/mortgage on a place? What about electricity and other bills, council tax, water etc etc - would anyone be willing to put them in their name and chase other people for the cash? Would you need building insurance? Liability insurance?

Sorry to be pessimistic, but if that idea were to take off you would need at least one person to be serious about taking on those responsibilities. Getting people together and chipping in cash to build it is the easy part.

People have set up Gym's in industrial storage units... you would get lighting from them for that... set up a board or 2 in on of those?

[gremlin]

There's a small church in Horwich just begging to be turned into a climbing/bouldering venue.
It's been renovated on the outside and stripped inside. I think the owner was going to turn it into flats but ran out of dosh!

Anyone got any ideas of the kind of costs involved in such a project?

[Tris]

People have set up Gym's in industrial storage units... you would get lighting from them for that... set up a board or 2 in on of those?

That sounds like it could be a better proposition. Are there any in/near Manchester? I assume you can pay monthly/quarterly/annually for the rent for example? Do you need any kind of permission from the storage company or from the council to build stuff in there? I know I can't even put a big shed in my back garden without asking the council first..

I know nothing about this kind of thing to be honest, I was just brain dumping some thoughts about stuff that may be needed for a 'wall' or 'board' to open or run.. I guess for the idea to take off, it would need someone who is clued up about setting this sort of thing up? And that person definitely ain't me 

[tomtom]

People have set up Gym's in industrial storage units... you would get lighting from them for that... set up a board or 2 in on of those?

That sounds like it could be a better proposition. Are there any in/near Manchester? I assume you can pay monthly/quarterly/annually for the rent for example? Do you need any kind of permission from the storage company or from the council to build stuff in there? I know I can't even put a big shed in my back garden without asking the council first..

I know nothing about this kind of thing to be honest, I was just brain dumping some thoughts about stuff that may be needed for a 'wall' or 'board' to open or run.. I guess for the idea to take off, it would need someone who is clued up about setting this sort of thing up? And that person definitely ain't me 

I've not got a scooby either - but there was an article on the Grauniad a while back -
Here's the fella...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/29/self-storage-britain-tom-lamont

[Monolith]

Without getting embroiled in any cost debate, props are due to Dave for installing a board, campus etc in Liverpool. Thanks for that. Thanks also for giving me a beastmaker platform on which to embarrass Richie Crouch.

[Jim]

If people want to make their own facility then why not put some time into broughton.
It's only £4.50 and they are currently dismantling the free standing boulder and putting the boards next to each other on the wall.
Ste is looking at putting a roof in and with any luck an extension on to the woody.
Then all that needs doing is sorting the holds out and setting some problems and it'll be one of the best facilities in the north west and you can help decide what goes in / set problems or contribute in any other way. Get to it

[a dense loner]

is it gonna cost as much as stockport wall? £7.50 for the shittest bouldering wall and the shittest set probs i've ever had the displeasure to climb on. is manchester in london? no

Wow, don't hold back mate !

With such a big choice of walls in the area I'm surprised we still exist if things are that bad !!!

Oh well, I'll try harder.

Dave Douglas
Awesome Walls Climbing Centres Ltd

why are you surprised you're still open? there's a lot of climbers in and around manchester and a lot of people willing to pay these prices, or did you already know that
that doesn't mean that the problems weren't crap and £7.50 is way too expensive to boulder. it has already been said that the new probs are a lot better, and that people agree £7.50 is too dear. which of course you're going to look at after you see the impact the new wall has on entries.
i'm obviously speaking from a bouldering perspective, since i'm on a bouldering website. i know less than nothing about routes, and possibly not much more about bouldering

[a dense loner]

while i'm going around upsetting people, thank god that boulders been dismantled at broughton. i think the last good problem on it was 10 years ago.
disclaimer: i have a lot of time for broughton

[El Mocho]

broughton is good for finger strength. it does not give you power.

Is there not a route (in Pembroke? by Vickers?) called 'Broughton Power', I think it is fair to say that what ex-world cup winner, milky bar kid and general climbing super wad says is the law. Broughton gives you POWER.

[Johnny Brown]

Maybe a small caveat needed there: Broughton gives you STATIC POWER.

[Zods Beard]

What Jim says.

[Wipey Why]

With all the complaints about facilities in Manchester has no one ever thought about starting a co-op and all chipping in for a venue then building exactly what you want? 24x7 access with a key each.

I'd be prepared to pay for that and can donate stuff e.g. Beastmaker, holds, double mattress, dumbbells.

That is not a bad idea. A friend of mine in Dorset has access to something similar. I would be very interested if it can be organised.

[Wipey Why]

On a similar but separate note regarding the woody at Stockport. It would appear to be the only commercial wall I know of which doesn't have a sign warning children off the board. Minor observation but I do see a lot of children from the parties try and pull on it. Possible law suit in waiting??

[namnok]

as jim says broughton is the closest thing to a 'school room' manchester currently has.
despite mcc and awesome opening up, broughton still gets passing trade.
its got its pro's (cheap) and cons (can be freezing cold)
if you want something like the school room this is the closest and best option. established wall with 1000plus problem database its cleaned regularly and secure carpark at night. no liabilty concerns etc as its run by salford council.
only problem is will they ever knock it down? it'll a sad day if/when it happens.

yes the boulder is finally being moved out of the way, i havent set on it for ages cos i cant be arsed and felt at times it wasnt really appreciated. maybe when its finally up against the wall and proper matting, we can repaint it a prime colour at least. stick all the holds on and they can stay on so we can make up new problems that incorporate slopers as well as crimps.

we currently have a fender fingerboard, but hopefully getting my hands on a resin one off jamie cassidy and also may get one of them modern wooden cnc fingerboards they all keep going on abt

another potential project for the wall is take down the defunct systems board (council says we cant use it as its a danger to move up and down all the time) and replaced with a new combo of a roof (akin to demon wall) and 45º board that can be a static systems board.

fundraising schemes are being schemed

ste li

[El Mocho]

Maybe a small caveat needed there: Broughton gives you STATIC POWER.

Is there any other type of power? We all know slapping is for weak puffs.

[BenF]

Without getting embroiled in any cost debate, props are due to Dave for installing a board, campus etc in Liverpool. Thanks for that.

Definitely, I echo your thanks to Dave.  The woody is giving me a reason to climb at Awesome walls Liverpool as I'm not digging the current routes (but that's a different discussion). 

Perhaps the stepped overhang bouldering wall could be disposed of and some better bouldering put in at some point soon?  Honestly Dave, that step is very outdated and unpleasant to climb on, plus the other bouldering surfaces aren't exactly inspiring.  I'm guessing that putting in three different angled boards with nice aretes wouldn't be stupidly expensive either.  Although I appreciate that you have your work cut out setting up the Stoke wall, just please don't forget Liverpool.  But again, thanks for the new woody and campus board.

[Richie Crouch]

The Crypt and woody are all you need for Parisella's training 

[BenF]

The Crypt and woody are all you need for Parisella's training 

I don't doubt that Rich but I want to train for climbing too.   

[Wipey Why]

It sounds like a good idea and I would be more than willing to chip in cash and time doing somewhere up. I just think it will struggle in other areas like ongoing maintenance. Like who pays the rent/mortgage on a place? What about electricity and other bills, council tax, water etc etc - would anyone be willing to put them in their name and chase other people for the cash? Would you need building insurance? Liability insurance?

Sorry to be pessimistic, but if that idea were to take off you would need at least one person to be serious about taking on those responsibilities. Getting people together and chipping in cash to build it is the easy part.

Rent/Mortgage - Whoever's name is on the lease or mortgage would be liable for such costs (so it is likely you would need to chase people)

Business Rates - Payable by the party in occupation

Water. Electricity, building insurance etc - If it was on an industrial estate somewhere hopefully this would be covered by a service charge (payable by the lessee)

Public Liability - I'm less sure about, but I would expect that it would be lessee again.

Planning - Change of use would be required, if you do things by the book

[chicane]

I liked the idea of using a storage unit (previously linked) and have asked the question about using it for a bouldering training facility. The link gave the example of a martial arts gym running out of a Safestore so have asked the question of the Safestore near to Old Trafford - not sure the ceiling height would be high enough but I will await the reply....

[tomtom]

I liked the idea of using a storage unit (previously linked) and have asked the question about using it for a bouldering training facility. The link gave the example of a martial arts gym running out of a Safestore so have asked the question of the Safestore near to Old Trafford - not sure the ceiling height would be high enough but I will await the reply....

Interesting - keep us posted.. T

[chicane]

Quick update before I leave work...

Safestore came back to me and after I explained what a bouldering wall was they said it would be no problem - they have a couple of recording studios running out of the Trafford Park site.

Few Details:

smallest unit with a suitable ceiling height is 300 sq ft - Ceiling height 25ft, might be overkill
£128 per week! which is £512 a month between 15 of us that would be £34 a month.

Access is 24/7

The guy who called me was really keen and had no issue with us using the space for whatever we liked and loads of people having keys. Might be worth checking to see if we could get a better deal elsewhere which works out cheaper.

interesting........

[Adam Lincoln]

Put me on the interested list if its trafford park area

[Adam Lincoln]

Oh and do you have rates on top of that?