[old cheese]

So, who knows about this?

A lot of bad beta going around notts wall about this such as where it will be and the lack of parking in the vicinity and also being situated on the cusp of the St Ann's estate (or Satans as it it known here, well know for gun crime and car-jacking).

Any info would be treated with the strict confidence that a public forum suggests.

[yorkshireman]

from what ive heard:parking has been negotiated on site,planning permission is being sorted and a september eta on opening.you could follow the depot on twitter or facebook for updates

[chris05]

Bloody typical, been in Notts for four years and they open a new wall just as I leave. 

Hope the staff are a little more friendly than the current wall.

[gcarmichael]

i'm living in notts at the moment and am also super keen to know where the depot is going to be located! where abouts is st ann's estate in nottingham?

[cheque]

  Seriously? I never get the impression that the current Notts wall makes much money. I could see a better, more enthusiastically-run venue taking all of its business but I'm skeptical as to whether it would be worth it. Perhaps a new shiny place would see more trade though.

Looking at the Leeds Depot's list of facilities it appears that it doesn't have roped walls- I'd be overjoyed to see a Foundry-style centre with the main focus on routes to contrast with the existing place, but I wouldn't complain if we got the same deal as the Leeds one! 

I'm happy to park in Stannzville, but I suspect that others with nicer cars than mine (ie. everyone) may have a different opinion...

[cheque]

i'm living in notts at the moment and am also super keen to know where the depot is going to be located! where abouts is st ann's estate in nottingham?

[old cheese]

from what ive heard:parking has been negotiated on site,planning permission is being sorted and a september eta on opening.you could follow the depot on twitter or facebook for updates

From my understanding of the Nottingham city council parking policies this could be expensive and companies within the city limits have to pay a premium per year but kudos to the depot if they provide parking. On street parking around there is VERY pricey and all on parking meters as it will be located almost in the centre of the city.

George, St Ann's is just to the East of the city, I think the wall will be just off Huntington street- near the hein geriche motorcycle shop and Staples if you know it?


Also i do believe that the owners of Notts climbing wall looked at the same building but dismissed it for some reason. Who knows

[Ste]

Just to clear a few things up.

The building isn't located in the middle of St Ann's - we are near the Litmus building just off Huntington St. Opposite the student halls of residence.

We have secured a large parking area next to the building with provision for 21 cars during the day and 40+ on an evening. Although our pre -planning application feedback didn't request such a parking provision we thought it essential for ease of use and to avoid extra cost for our customers.

The building is very impressive and offers a huge space for us to deliver a world-class bouldering centre. We intend to pull out all the stops going beyond what we have built in Leeds.

The build will hopefully start in about 8 weeks time when we get the ok from planning - as it stands they don't have any objections to the project and have been very supportive.

Happy to answer any questions - just bob an email to info@theclimbingdepot.com

Cheers

Steve

[Offwidth]

I wish you well but hope Nottingham is big enough to support two major walls (especially as NCC has a lot of bouldering). I'd add that the Nottingham parking levy applies to employees.

[Andrew B]

Yes NCC has a lot of bouldering but it is really poor. The centre as a whole is sub-standard. It feels so dirty; the toilets and changing facilities are horrible and they haven't even covered up the old swimming pool tiles. This new centre should give them a wake up call and maybe they'll make a lot of much needed changes.

[chris05]

Yes NCC has a lot of bouldering but it is really poor. The centre as a whole is sub-standard. It feels so dirty; the toilets and changing facilities are horrible and they haven't even covered up the old swimming pool tiles. This new centre should give them a wake up call and maybe they'll make a lot of much needed changes.

I dont mind the work-in-progress feel of NCC but I do hope that a bit of competition might improve the current service.

[Offwidth]

Yes NCC has a lot of bouldering but it is really poor.

I might agree on some aspects of the other points but the bouldering is a country mile from being poor. Most of the best indoor problems I've ever done have been set there. They can seem odd as they are given UK grades and are sustained and hard at those grades once you reach UK 5b. The centre (old and new) has also trained up some of the strongest kids in the UK, several national comp winners and some UK team members (bouldering an sport).

[old cheese]

.... they haven't even covered up the old swimming pool tiles.

I guess the fact that the wall used to be a historically significant swimming pool in the local area, owners wanted to retain some of the period features of the building and that local residents pop in from time to time to look around and reminise is lost on some people. Let's just bang in some plaster board and artex over the lot to make it look modern. Whilst we are on this topic I certainly hope the depot picks up on Andrews suggestions and get rid of any of the period features on their own building. I am thinking stainless cladding and pebble dash!!

I also do agree with Steve, over the years Nottingham has produced some strong climbers and has laid some solid foundations in the climbing community. I know it has not moved on much but it has done a truely great job over the years. I for one will continue to use it and I know many others who will. Not saying I wont go to the depot, it's just I cannot help thinking that the location will put people off (after their car has been Broken into at least once anyway) and the public transport is not that convenient here.

There were much better locations and I am surprised this area has been picked, it almost seems like there was not enough research done. But saying all that i wish them luck and know there are several people really looking forward to this

[Andrew B]

.... they haven't even covered up the old swimming pool tiles.

I guess the fact that the wall used to be a historically significant swimming pool in the local area, owners wanted to retain some of the period features of the building and that local residents pop in from time to time to look around and reminise is lost on some people. Let's just bang in some plaster board and artex over the lot to make it look modern. Whilst we are on this topic I certainly hope the depot picks up on Andrews suggestions and get rid of any of the period features on their own building. I am thinking stainless cladding and pebble dash!!

This is one of the most ridiculous things I have ever read. Period features? Residents popping in to reminisce?

I make a couple of comments you don't like and i'm branded as the next Le Corbusier.

[cheque]

The current centre's not in the best place for car crime either: a guy's car was broken into when I was there on Saturday afternoon.

[old cheese]

I am guessing you ain't that french but obviously confident of your significance if you compete yourself to him. I look forward to seeing some of your work.

It's not that I don't like your comments it's just that you seem to have missed the point. To suggest that not covering the tiles is a lazy gesture or an indication that they have not finished the wall is ridiculous. The wall used to be a swimming pool, The owners like that and they are keen to keep that link and believe that keeping the tiles does that. They have even called the cafe the old pool cafe. 

Also believe it or not, people have and do drop into the wall to see what has happened to it. Sounds ridiculous I know but it is true.

[Andrew B]

I've realised that you thought I was talking about the tiles on the walls, didn't you? I mean the ones on the floor.

Anyway, lets get this back on track. Any more news on the new wall?

[Pebblespanker]

Just wondering you could use the Victoria Centre for safer parking (but not free) if anyone is concerned about their motor, it is just 3 mins walk away across the road after all, I just can't remember the opening hours for the car park ... plus you have Tesco's handy for post training food

Superficially competition in the marketplace is generally pictured as beneficial to the consumers; competition keeps prices keen, strong businesses survive, weak go under etc. - simple market driven economics as espoused by Thatcher...   However the benefits may be short term should one wall have to close and the survivor has a monopoly .... not being negative just realistic, especially in a city that may only have enough punters for 1.5 walls

On a positive note I am really looking forward to having a look at the new place but it means quick bus ride for me as opposed to a 5 min walk

[Alan W]

Well there is clearly an awful lot of speculation and anticipation but personally I shall just wait and see what we eventually get.  I hope it's great, I really do, and I have been climbing at NCC at least weekly for over 10 years.... is it fantastic, no; is it clean, not really; do I care, not really; but dispute any shortfalls it has served me very well iv enjoyed it nearly all the time and it has enthused a great passion in me. Would I have got that elsewhere.... perhaps... but like slightly tatty rough pubs, sometimes these have the best community, and isn't that a huge aspect of climbing, is this not why those who love NCC are so loyal and criticise other so called superwalls. It's like supermarkets; everybody hates them but we all use them. I do not know if the Depot will be a 'superwall' even if just for bouldering, but I will sure as hell go check it out.  Will it put NCC out of business... who can yet say, but I certainly hope not; will I climb there less; no, probably not; the extra choice and variety will likely mean I climb at each once per week rather than just once at NCC; and I really hope that's what happens because I would love a new amount of variety; I can't wait

[old cheese]

A little more speculation...

I have heard that the depot have been refused planning permission due to objections from a local business or possibly youth club. I wounded if this is true? If so it would put back the construction time a little as they would have to resubmit the proposal?

Any truth and if so what is the ETA?

[Ste]

Thanks for the replies guys - well some of them anyway 

Anyway, just wanted to confirm the information that Old Cheese has received is wide of the mark. Planning permission is going through as anticipated and we have the full support of the relevant parties.

In terms of parking I think we have made efforts beyond the call of duty to ensure that customers have the best possible provision. We have a large car park (cameras and lighting) next to the building and we also have an overflow car park 20m from the building - all free of course. Not many climbing walls can provide parking for up to 62 cars!

The building is directly opposite the halls of residence and a few minutes walk from the Arena - public transport is very good.

Happy to answer any further questions and hear some suggestions for what you guys want to see via pm

Cheers

Steve D.

[old cheese]

Fair enough Steve, just something a guy who works for the council was saying but probably has his ear to the wrong door I guess. You know how these rumours start but i just decided to ask to clarify. Does that mean building is starting soon as you have a lot of keen people waiting

Also, the evening parking, is it in the staples car park? As I cannot think of another large area for parking around there and it is very close?

[Stubbs]

... but like slightly tatty rough pubs, sometimes these have the best community, and isn't that a huge aspect of climbing, is this not why those who love NCC are so loyal and criticise other so called superwalls. It's like supermarkets; everybody hates them but we all use them.

Just on this point, the Depot in Leeds, as with the other walls there, has a great community scene, as do all of the other 'superwalls' I have visited.  At the end of the day they are spaces full of climbers, and climbers like talking shit to each other.

You know how these rumours start

On the internet rumours start by people posting unfounded information 

[old cheese]

"On the internet rumours start by people posting unfounded information"

Maybe, but the rumours have to start with people talking which is what they were doing. I just bought it out in the open to clarify this because I know steve reads this and can offer some insight into this for all to see.

Unfounded information is not necessarily untrue Stubbs.

[Alan W]

Now then Mr Stubbs, I think it is a little harsh to quote an extract of my comment and suggest I don't think the Depot would have a community, because I did not say that; I only said that NCC does have a community, which it does.  I did however express my excitement about the Depot coming to Notts and suggest I will definitely try it and hopefully become a regular, so if that's not a welcoming endorsement I don't know what is. Now, let's all be friends eh !