[Shy Yorkshireman]

Not sure if this is news or a unsubstantiated rumour, but I was talking with a local Steel supplier today and he mentioned that Joe Simpson? Had bough the Abbeydale picture house at auction and was going to turn into a wall. The main theatre is very high so Probably it will be a routes wall.

Not sure if this is News but as Johnny Brown Says "Never let the truth stand in the way of a good rumour"

Any Gossip?

[lagerstarfish]

with his track record, health and safety will never let it happen

you sure he isn't going to open a lap dancing club called Avoiding The Touch?

[Shy Yorkshireman]

"you sure he isn't going to open a lap dancing club called Avoiding The Touch?"

Nice!

Well they actually said local celebrity author, I made the rest up. But 2 plus 2.

[tomtom]

you sure he isn't going to open a lap dancing club called Avoiding The Touch?

Genius. Will it have a crevasse room?

[Drew]

Well they actually said local celebrity author, I made the rest up. But 2 plus 2.

So potentially Andy Cave, Andy Kirkpatrick, John Beatty, Ron Fawcett, or more likely Jerry Moffat?

[lagerstarfish]

Joe Simpson does like a game of snooker... he'd keep it as a snooker hall

perhaps its Rich Simpson? maybe what actually happened was that he did a pull up on the door to the picture house and the lack of video evidence led him to believe that he'd bought the building and was going to turn it into the finest climbing venue within sight of the Broadfield?

in terms of other celebrities - I did get very pissed with Jess Ennis's mum in Bar Abbey (bar underneath the picture house) about this time last year

Peter Stringfellow! that's got to be it! Stringfellow and Simpson are opening a wall with topless belay bunnies who take you off belay, mid route, at random points during the session - all  to the pounding beats of Boney M

yeah, that's gotta be it 

[Moo]

I'd go to that wall fo sho .

there's quite a lot of work to be done on the roof of the abbedale but it would make a good wall.

[lagerstarfish]

arse

local self declared celebrity author...

it's JCT isn't it

[dave]

Could be Michael Palin opening a Phileas Fogg themed traversing wall. You've got to get back round to reception in under 80 moves - no matching.

[fatboySlimfast]

Could it be pulp front man Jarvis with a retro geek chic 70's stone block DR climbing wall with a cumpulsory dress code of bell bottom jeans and dubious ethics?

[Paul B]

There was mention of 'another' new wall kicking around 'THE' wall.

[psychomansam]

Good shit.

Sheffield is pretty stupid for lead climbing at the minute.
We've got two good walls but I find the only way to get on a line is to not wash for a week, then go and stand close to a belayer where I want to climb.

 

[Jaspersharpe]

If it is Simpson then I'm sure his sunny disposition and ever cheery face will be sure to make it a hit.

[Duncan Disorderly]

Guy in the park told me it was the guys from The Edge that bought it...

(I'd like to add this is wholley unsubstantiated and he might have smoked something not totally legal - but he does have a nice dog!)

 

[Jaspersharpe]

This is like a transfer rumours thread on a football forum on deadline day.

"My mate just saw Joe Simpson getting out of a Reliant Robin outside the Foundry. I'm not saying it means anything but he's a close friend of Paul Reeve and once washed Jerry's car so he's a reliable source."

[Moo]

Is there any video evidence of him washing jerry's car?

[ferret]

the rumours i always heard about this building was that the owner could at anytime sell it for a fuck ton of money (considering its position, size, and character) but would only sell it to somebody who would guarantee the picture house staying architecturally intact inside and out.
this could obviously be bull shit or the owner had a change of heart, or there is an agreement to build the wall in such a way as it could be removed without any change to the building

[psychomansam]

Unidentified buyer:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-south-yorkshire-20143248

A spokesman for the buyer said the building "was not financially viable" to be used as a theatre in the future.

The representative added: "It's a lovely facility. The intention is to bring it back into public use.

"It requires a lot of renovation. The key to that is to get a grant to facilitate that. The intention is to bring the public back into the building."

Gossip:
http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?p=9330881
https://twitter.com/thenorth/status/263352461799063553 (climbing works?!)

[lagerstarfish]

Hopefully Dawes has bought it with the proceeds from his book and has some million-to-one-chance-but-it-just-might-work business plan combining ballroom dancing, building restoration workshops and holdless climbing lessons. Perhaps all presented in front of a Music Hall / Muppets style audience. They can show my films without paying any royalties for the first 6 months if it will help.

[RopeBoy]

Guy in the park told me it was the guys from The Edge that bought it...

(I'd like to add this is wholley unsubstantiated and he might have smoked something not totally legal - but he does have a nice dog!)

 

Yeah, I too heard it was Phil from someone else. Apparently there's going to be a free standing boulder in the middle with some bouldering on the side walls and a big lead wall. Could be pretty good! They rent the current place from CCC so kinda makes sense to buy that place.
Better location than that other proposed wall.

J

[GraemeA]

The auctioneers told Si Jones that we bought it, and they told Si Waddseley the same. The Polish butcher also told Jonesy that we had bought it. The Star also called us asking us what we were planning on doing with it.

We have not bought it. We are daft but not that daft, it's a Listed Buidling and needs stacks of work doing on it before you can do anything with it. It would make a crap climbing wall. I was in there a couple of years ago when Mr Heason was ivestigating whether to move SHAFF there and was given the tour.

[GraemeA]

Guy in the park told me it was the guys from The Edge that bought it...

(I'd like to add this is wholley unsubstantiated and he might have smoked something not totally legal - but he does have a nice dog!)

 

Yeah, I too heard it was Phil from someone else. Apparently there's going to be a free standing boulder in the middle with some bouldering on the side walls and a big lead wall. Could be pretty good! They rent the current place from CCC so kinda makes sense to buy that place.
Better location than that other proposed wall.

J

Phil probably signed a new lease last year so is unlikely to move. Althoug he has got a history of opening businesses with crap parking so who knows.

[GraemeA]

Personally I reckon it is one of the two climbing property magnates, Jerry Allen or John Moffat, and they are going to turn them into luxury flats and THEN build a wall next to the flats 

[dave]

So we're agreed then; it's gonna be a mosque.

[underground]

Phil probably signed a new lease last year so is unlikely to move. Althoug he has got a history of opening businesses with crap parking so who knows.

No wonder he's always so cheerful. Unlike you Graeme, with your US mall like parking. I never know which space to choose

[shark]

Phil probably signed a new lease last year so is unlikely to move. Althoug he has got a history of opening businesses with crap parking so who knows.

No wonder he's always so cheerful. Unlike you Graeme, with your US mall like parking. I never know which space to choose

Aye. Parking near the Edge not usually a problem but you need a degree in Parking Science to know where to park at the Works.

[clgladiator]

The bus, drops you right outside pretty much and then you can climb with a clean environmental conscience 

[GraemeA]

Apparently it is Phil (heard from our friendly local Anti-terrorism bobby).

Doesn't change my opinion expressed earlier.

[shark]

Apparently it is Phil (heard from our friendly local Anti-terrorism bobby).

Doesn't change my opinion expressed earlier.

Good knowledge.

You said I was barking mad buying UKB too....

[a dense loner]

Shark why did u need to add "buying ukb too"?

[shark]

Shark why did u need to add "buying ukb too"?

Picking up on Graeme's current opinion that Phil's business plan for the Abbeydale Theatre as a climbing wall is flawed ie Graeme doesn't always call it right

[gme]

It is a bit late shark. You need your bed.

[GraemeA]

You said I was barking mad buying UKB too....

Whilst ukb might be considered a national treasure by some (including me) it does not have statutory rules about what you can and can not do to ukb. You might be sensible consulting the powers that be (ie us ukbers) about making changes to ukb but you don't have a statutory obligation to consult the powers that be, and ukbers do not charge you statutory fees to consult them and ukbers decisions are not legally binding.

Does ukb require planning consent to paint over a brick wall, the new owner of Abbeydale Picture House certainly does (see English Heritage website http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/your-property/planning-advice/what-can-i-do-with-my-listed-building/ ). 

It a whole different kettle of sharks. 

Plus remember back in 1985 (or was it 1986) when me and Patta called you as Sharkey, well obviously we were right then 

[shark]

Have I stepped out of line ?

Won't happen again.

[slackline]

Sheffield Telegraph piece

[GraemeA]

Nice that the Telegraph gave us a plug 

[T_B]

6 walls in Sheffield! I can only see all of them staying in business with some serious innovation. Maybe a 'gym Jones' style facility for climbers and other outdoor sports people? or a creche. Come on Graeme, a creche would be a total winner surely? That and opening at 10 on weekdays.

[J_duds]

How about if the walls opened for 24hrs a day like Tesco!

[T_B]

You mean like Pure Gym? Totally. It's crazy that I live less than a mile from the works and work 50m from the foundry and yet I'm thinking about building a wall at home. Wall opening hours could accommodate those with young families, or who work Flexi better I reckon. Just opening an extra half hour in the evenings until 10.30pm would be great. And aren't gyms packed before 9am? Why not climbing walls?

[slackline]

Matrix opens from 7am these days.