UKBouldering.com
the shizzle => sponsors => Topic started by: Oldmanmatt on April 18, 2013, 01:00:44 pm
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Well, the cat's out of the bag, anyway, so...
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8099/8660631256_f40be298d1.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8660631256/)
Untitled (2013-03-21 06:44:30) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8660631256/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
In one of those odd moments in life, we decided to build a bouldering wall and climbing gym in Torquay.
Today, we began marking out and removing some existing features of the building.
So it's real and we should be opening the doors in 2.5 -3 months!
You can follow the progress through our Facebook page and I'll be updating here too.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Boulder-Bunker-Coming-Soon/139693576202469?ref=hl (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Boulder-Bunker-Coming-Soon/139693576202469?ref=hl)
Hope to update the layout drawings and include room two (gym, traversing, campus boards, rings, wall bars etc), shortly.
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Nice one Matt. Good luck.
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Nice one Matt. Take it you got that problem sorted! Best of luck.
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Nice one. I'll call in for a session as soon as you open!
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Good luck Matt!!!
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Good luck, hope it works out great!!
Will there be replicas of small sections of Berry Head and Sanctuary Wall?? :2thumbsup:
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I'll bear those suggestions in mind, guys...
Main designs just about done.
Aside from a campus board, finger boards, systems board and rings; what else would you suggest for the Gym room?
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I'll bear those suggestions in mind, guys...
Main designs just about done.
Aside from a campus board, finger boards, systems board and rings; what else would you suggest for the Gym room?
Those rollyball things in different sizes?
A well stocked bar.
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I'll bear those suggestions in mind, guys...
Main designs just about done.
Aside from a campus board, finger boards, systems board and rings; what else would you suggest for the Gym room?
In order of desirability:
Aircon
Moon board
Free weights
Graded endurance circuits
Bachar ladder
Eva Lopez progression board
If you had all that I'd invoke primogeniture and move back to Devon
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In order of desirability:
Aircon
Moon board
Free weights
Graded endurance circuits
Bachar ladder
Eva Lopez progression board
aircon NO, far, far more important that it is warm enough in the winter
bachar ladder NO if i wanted to train specifically for ladders and wreck my shoulders i'd go into roofing ;)
campus board YES
finger boards - better one decent one than five crap ones, beastmaker, moon YES
decent matting essential
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Well, the building was a dance school. So it's fully insulated and has central heating.
We also have large, opening windows and ceiling fans for the summer.
We also have a Disco ball and strobe lights, but I'm not sure they'll help much...
Though, Polly has plans for "Headtorch" sessions, in the dark with lightning laid on!
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We have headtorch nights at The Pinnacle - seem pretty popular except with climbers who are colour blind. Just an excuse to show off who's got the brightest lights of course.
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That's old hat.
Matt is bringing us the future with strobe light nights.
And hopefully roller skating climbing nights, just like Jonny.
Johnny Dawes Climbs in Roller Skates (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3etXIRf6a8#ws)
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Good effort Matt!
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So room 1 (aka the Canyon) with the main bouldering and comp wall, also the reception and cafe.
Alongside, across the corridor, room 2 (aka the Gym/The Cave).
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8666454694_15ce670fd5.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666454694/)
Untitled (2013-04-20 18:23:17) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666454694/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8258/8666454366_db33a3cb18.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666454366/)
Untitled (2013-04-20 18:24:41) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666454366/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And room 2. Traversing wall down the left hand side (and across to window, out of view), Campus, finger boards and rings (and possible space for free weights).
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8240/8666453960_1e632a3739.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666453960/)
Untitled (2013-04-20 18:26:29) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666453960/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Then, behind the campus board, in the cave proper, Moon/systems board.
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8260/8665353047_b2d488360d.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8665353047/)
Untitled (2013-04-20 18:27:33) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8665353047/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Looking at the Traversing wall...
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8253/8666453322_91ef812caf.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666453322/)
Untitled (2013-04-20 18:28:56) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8666453322/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Looking into the cave, at the Systems board...
(http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8260/8665352355_575e1aa506.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8665352355/)
Untitled (2013-04-20 18:30:08) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8665352355/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
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Loving the one handed campussing! You'll all be beasts if that's a true to life image! ;) :strongbench:
Looks very cool and intimate. Top job.
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Traversing wall looks nicely vertical and old-skool, like the one at Rockover in Manchester. Never seen one like it at a wall on the continent: I suspect it's a Brit old farts thing, yearning for their brick edge crimping youth. You need something on it that simulates a proper brick edge crimps traverse to keep the older demographic happy.
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I've always found a vertical traversing wall a great Starting point.
For me, to warm up.
For Newbies and Kids, a simple, low, introduction wall.
It can be spiced up with volumes, slopey problems, crimpy problems and reaches.
For Fran, we'll make sure there are traverses on the steep parts of the main wall, too.
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my 2p worth, trying to be helpful here.
1. I cant help feeling that you are giving up way too much space to the really hardcore training stuff. Truthfully, how many people will use it? Pretty much all the walls I have been to give up much less of their space to that sort of thing and even then it seems under utilised. Dont forget that your mass market is punters, you will likely end up 33% or so of your total space that gets used by a handful of wads and wannabes whilst your main market moans about the pokieness of the wall ,and hopefully, how crowded it is. If you really think that there is a market for that sort of thing in the SW then stick the campus on the wall behind the system board but the rest of the gym section would be better used as more bouldering.
2. Vertical walls are shit even with volumes. The local (non hardcore) wall started with a load of vertical sections, probably for the same reason as you. Within a few months they had to redo them as no one liked them. Much better would be to have overhanding sections with bigger holds and for kids, routes with shorter reaches.
3. Oh and the best wall I have been to recently (whats up? near Lille) had disco lights in the cafe.
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Fair points...
In truth, the budget doesn't run to extending the bouldering into the second room at this stage.
It's not the wall construction, it's the matting.
If we go beyond a simple, low, traversing wall; we'd need full matting below (300 mm deep).
We expect, if things go well, to redevelop the traversing wall in phase 2.
The matting already accounts for some 40% of the budget... Urgh!
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I'd love a simple overhanging board (45?) with lots of holds to set personal problems and projects, along with the usual color coded setting and the likes.
Good luck Matt.
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Re the matting, one thing they did in Lille, that seemed really good, was leaving a gap between the wall and the overhanging Walls. This would save a bit of cash and extends problems by at least one move.
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Why is everyone wearing white t shirts in the picture?
Agree with ian V regarding vertical bits. Even 10-15% will mean punters can still get on with it, but you can set harder stuff as well.
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Damn! I forgot how hard painting is!
Knocked down a wall and under coated about 200m^2, since 8 this morning.
And assembled the scaffolding.
Took delivery of our seriously macho Nail Gun today.
I shall mostly be giggling like a kid in a toy shop.
KERTHUNK!!!!!
Sn**ger.
KERTHUNK!!!
Giggle...
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Hard at work....
(http://i.imgur.com/suQNtAN.jpg?1) (http://imgur.com/suQNtAN)
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Looks great Matt - good luck with it. May well be down that way over the summer visiting my Mum so will pop in and say hello.
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Child labour!
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Child labour!
Child labour is wrong!
There's no need.
These days you can get disabled people to work for you for nothing. But they will earn their meagre benefit by Christ, courtesy of ian duncan smith, and atos (and their shareholders really deserve their millions of taxpayers money for traumatising the sick and disabled, and forcing them to enslavement)
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Actually...
The whole "bring them round after school, 'coz they can help with the painting" thing was a mistake.
Two four year olds, with paint buckets and rollers.
Arrghh!
A Seven year old, who stood in in a full roller tray, then walked allover the floor.
Arrrrrrgggghhhh!!!!
A Six year old who decided to wash his hands in the Disabled toilets, in the one sink I haven't connected the drain to yet.
Aaaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!
Splash.
Scrub.
Wipe.
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To be honest, are you sure you have done your homework? How many people per day are you going to need to just pay the bills?
When its sunny are people going to come inside when Dartmoor is free?
From your designs it looks quite small with lots of hardcore training?
I am not being a downer here it just that Devon really needs a dedicated TCA style wall, not like the country park wall which was a similar size (rent free) that closed down.
I would be interested to here your figures.
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In order of desirability:
Aircon
Moon board
Free weights
Graded endurance circuits
Bachar ladder
Eva Lopez progression board
aircon NO, far, far more important that it is warm enough in the winter
bachar ladder NO if i wanted to train specifically for ladders and wreck my shoulders i'd go into roofing ;)
campus board YES
finger boards - better one decent one than five crap ones, beastmaker, moon YES
decent matting essential
Actually think that aircon is really important, certainly a dust extraction system
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To be honest, are you sure you have done your homework? How many people per day are you going to need to just pay the bills?
When its sunny are people going to come inside when Dartmoor is free?
From your designs it looks quite small with lots of hardcore training?
I am not being a downer here it just that Devon really needs a dedicated TCA style wall, not like the country park wall which was a similar size (rent free) that closed down.
I would be interested to here your figures.
Well,
It's bigger than it looks (The perspective on SketchUp is misleading, if you've seen the photos on Faceache, that's a 5m scaffold tower). We're about one third of TCA Glasgow and the same size as Alien 2 in Edinburgh.
The main reason, we're given to understand, that there isn't a TCA style set up here already is population density. Devon's population is just too spread out. Exeter could not (probably) support more than the Quay. Plymouth is well covered and the Barn takes up the rural/West Moor population. Dartrock is nicely central and everyone's default for wet days (and still ours for roped climbing (kids)). Rock and Rapid has North Devon covered, but North Devon might as well be another country as it's quicker to drive to Bristol.
We have (just less) as much bouldering (even at this stage, which we hope is just phase 1) as Dart and Quay combined.
Hardcore? Well, we've spent months (in my case years) discussing this with users and operators. Which bits get used, which bits don't (roofs are a big no-no apparently), islands and boulders, get the thumbs down from setters and operators (even though users think they look cool).
Our only real concession to "Training" is the campus board and the systems board (the latter might grow across the roof in phase 2, regardless of the comment above) and the rings have proved a great hit in TCA Glasgow (and take no significant room at all). The second room will be developed further (we hope) and get more steep stuff (we want to get the doors open), giving us almost 50% of TCA G's climbable. We have chosen to integrate the cafe into the main room to ensure sociability, and because not every person who enters the building will want to climb. They may want to observe their kids etc.
The demographic here seems about right (who knows, really?). I'm not sure which Country park Blacklens is talking about (River Dart Country park? Whitehills?), but generally, after looking at the success and failure of similar ventures around the country, we think we see a correlation between rural setting and failure. Sometimes it's just too much hassle to drive. The population of Torbay and Teignbridge combined is 60% of Edinburgh (winter).
We watched with interest what happened when the Edinburgh International Climbing Arena opened.
That much (Public) money and so much space! It should have killed any business for the private venture (given that the Uni opened it's own wall at the same time-ish).
Still, Alien 1 and 2 tick along, quite nicely.
Urban setting.
(And we know our rent is half of A2).
Oh, and the fact that I'm local (I was born in Paignton) and I don't know which wall has closed and neither do most of my climbing friends, says something, no?
Like a lot of people here, I'd go to the wall more often if it was closer.
We were going to the Quay once a week and Dart Rock once a week (Fridays, because of their kid friendly policy). But it's too expensive on fuel, adds 90 min + to your trip, and therefore makes it completely impractical for an average family who want to have a bit of fun and get home in time for dinner.
We have a bus stop outside the building, we are slap bang in the centre of town (10mins walk from the harbour). Surrounded by Cafes (Torre is looking better these days). We have secure bike parking and a large carpark (P+D) across the road. One Hour (Free) spots on the doorstep (Which become free (time wise) after 6pm, and free on Sunday's).
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Interesting and thoughtful response. What are your charges going to be? It would be interesting to find out as the Quay is too expensive for me. Dart Rock offers a £3.00 climb during the week and the Barn is just over £6.00 whenever you climb.
I would say that other walls in the South West are not doing as well as you think. A wall maybe busy but have large overheads and wage bills. I know that Plymouth is struggling for example.....
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islands and boulders, get the thumbs down from setters and operators (even though users think they look cool).
I was thinking about this; surely its the customer thats important rather than the setters. Personally I cant see why setting a problem on an island would be any more difficult and it makes much better use of space and means you dont need so much matting. All assuming there is enough space to fit them in.
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Well justified, however I'm not sure you needed to do it Matt. If Blacklens isn't a shareholder, I don't see what his beef is. It's a bit late to be of any use to anyone if it has any truth, and so just smacks of nay-saying... :wall:
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Well justified, however I'm not sure you needed to do it Matt. If Blacklens isn't a shareholder, I don't see what his beef is. It's a bit late to be of any use to anyone if it has any truth, and so just smacks of nay-saying... :wall:
Yup.
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islands and boulders, get the thumbs down from setters and operators (even though users think they look cool).
I was thinking about this; surely its the customer thats important rather than the setters. Personally I cant see why setting a problem on an island would be any more difficult and it makes much better use of space and means you dont need so much matting. All assuming there is enough space to fit them in.
Yes, the problem is "Look" cool.
Bridges have numerous safety issues (people walking under when climber above is on the other side, the swinging into other bits of wall/people etc). Islands/boulders clog up the circulation space/sight lines.
It also seems that they don't get used as much as other features. So it's less about setting routes/problems and more about utilising the space effectively.
And, I think we were aware of some of the issues at SW walls.
Pricing? Well, take a tour of wall web sites around the country, then compare to the local population size, look at typical m^2 rents (average salaries can usually be picked up from local authorities).
But generally, the prices are similar.
It's no gravy train.
It's not a way to get rich, we have other reasons to do it.
The sport needs a raised profile in the SW. We have Shawna batting in the big leagues but no-one knows her name...
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We have Shawna batting in the big leagues but no-one knows her name...
Shap oh.
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After a couple of weeks of ripping out old bars, counters, shelves, wiring and plumbing...
And then ripping up floor boards to put in new wiring and plumbing...
We finally began erecting the wall!
Damn! But cutting through Lathe and Plaster with a Circular saw makes some dust!
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2841/8757783105_ec036628c6.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8757783105/)
Untitled (2013-05-20 15:39:05) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8757783105/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
That might be Somebody's Fool on top of that scaffolding... It's hard to tell...
His first comment on arriving this morning, "Damn, it's bigger than it looked in the drawings!"
Yup! Sure is...
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We finally began erecting the wall!
:thumbsup: :clap2:
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Just spotted this thread. There's a possibility that I might be moving from Cornwall to Ivybridge in the autumn, in which case I reckon I will definitely be visiting you in preference to the other SW walls.
With this in mind please, please, please can you build a decent training board. Something around 40 - 45 degrees overhanging and preferably set symmetrically would be great. All wood holds a bonus. For me this is the number one priority.
Other nice-to-haves in order of priority:
1 - well set (& reasonably regularly re-set) bouldering obviously.
2 - a slightly overhanging circuit board. Great for endurance training and I'd be dead keen, although they don't always seem to get loads of use at other walls I've been to, so maybe not a commercial priority for you.
3 - campus board. They take up relatively little space and are popular with wads and wannabees alike.
4 - general cafe/cake eating/chill-out area. Personally I'm not too bothered about this (I currently train in my loft after all), but getting a good ambience will go along way to making the wall popular.
Best of luck with the build!
Luke.
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Just spotted this thread. There's a possibility that I might be moving from Cornwall to Ivybridge in the autumn, in which case I reckon I will definitely be visiting you in preference to the other SW walls.
With this in mind please, please, please can you build a decent training board. Something around 40 - 45 degrees overhanging and preferably set symmetrically would be great. All wood holds a bonus. For me this is the number one priority.
Other nice-to-haves in order of priority:
1 - well set (& reasonably regularly re-set) bouldering obviously.
2 - a slightly overhanging circuit board. Great for endurance training and I'd be dead keen, although they don't always seem to get loads of use at other walls I've been to, so maybe not a commercial priority for you.
3 - campus board. They take up relatively little space and are popular with wads and wannabees alike.
4 - general cafe/cake eating/chill-out area. Personally I'm not too bothered about this (I currently train in my loft after all), but getting a good ambience will go along way to making the wall popular.
Best of luck with the build!
Luke.
All of the above... Check!
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Just come across a photo of the first bouldering wall I helped build back in '91 '92...
Still there and still in use!
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2834/8893850115_ef07e207a7.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8893850115/)
Untitled (2013-05-30 20:01:31) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8893850115/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
We even made all the holds, spending our evenings high as kites on the resin fumes...
Funny, 20 odd years later and I'm still doing it...
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3813/8894472132_550a90d612.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8894472132/)
Untitled (2013-05-30 16:07:49) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8894472132/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
:lol:
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(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7431/8977489275_769ac900a1.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977489275/)
Untitled (2013-05-31 13:10:42) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977489275/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
We finished the month of May with two of these babies!
It's like Xmas, I tell ya!
And despite doing all this:-
(http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7299/8977485387_738e661a5a.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977485387/)
Untitled (2013-06-05 15:26:52) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977485387/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And this:-
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/8978679880_797a8d1b65.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8978679880/)
Untitled (2013-06-05 15:26:05) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8978679880/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Simon has also almost put Cider Soak to bed. He's hoping for a little cooler weather in the new week...
Systems board and Campus board are ready for a lick of paint and some holds/rungs (and a boxing in of the radiator after the next ply delivery on Monday).
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5452/8977483467_881c04b166.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977483467/)
Untitled (2013-06-05 15:30:43) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977483467/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And 'ain't it nice to open a box and find five of these darlings inside...
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5344/8977481637_ca853488cb.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977481637/)
Untitled (2013-06-07 14:32:25) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/8977481637/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And, I've knackered my back...
And we're off to TCA Bristol on Monday to discuss setting strategies with Paul...
And we're still working at 11pm each night...
And actually going climbing seems like a distant memory...
But it's fun, though!
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:2thumbsup:
Do you need an ageing ex-wannabe in your staff?
Good job beasts.
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Three weeks to opening...
We'll be announcing the date shortly.
Knackered...
All those designs stumbling into reality.
All those worries.
Like...
How do you stop bodies falling off the wall and landing in the cafe?
Build a Polycarbonate (bouncy) screen and lean it against the wall at such an angle you can't possibly hurt your self if you hit it!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3802/9101296981_3f0e5b80c0.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101296981/)
Untitled (2013-06-20 15:00:23) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101296981/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
What colour do we paint it?
Bright of course!
(http://l6.yimg.com/so/7445/9101228361_c6b5b4871c.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101228361/)
Untitled (2013-06-20 15:00:07) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101228361/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Can you make campus rungs from an old Mahogany bar, a router and hard work?
Yup!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3691/9101299425_ce57720a42.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101299425/)
Untitled (2013-06-14 11:36:44) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101299425/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
A Bachar ladder?
Yup!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3834/9103531620_9cccd42634.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103531620/)
Untitled (2013-06-14 11:37:06) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103531620/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Did we really look that dumb, a quarter of a century ago, in Font?
(Me poking out from behind the Poodle cut brunette on the right)
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5453/9101304839_e47de43a8d.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101304839/)
Untitled (2013-06-08 11:01:11) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101304839/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Since Simon "Some body's Fool" W, built almost the entire wall, with the help of Chris "Animal" C, will he be the first to to try it?
You bet!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3796/9101298081_fe92b862ca.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101298081/)
Untitled (2013-06-14 08:16:47) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101298081/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And he finished Cider Soak!
Do I have to personally test each traversing wall mat?
Of course!
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3747/9103525052_08b395c202.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103525052/)
Untitled (2013-06-20 15:15:28) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103525052/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Is it me or are some of these new apprentices a bit young?
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3808/9101302787_858bc27877.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101302787/)
Untitled (2013-06-11 13:06:50) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9101302787/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
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Untitled (2013-06-11 13:06:37) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103534278/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And are we hanging this by the door on Monday morning?
Too damn right we are!
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5343/9103526380_ed47eb4887.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103526380/)
Untitled (2013-06-20 15:00:49) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9103526380/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And Lore?
You always get in free mate, when you coming over?
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Matt, my friend. I really want to come over! I would like to take a holiday and tour the walls in UK! And I'm serious! I can't do anything else but study and work every day until October at least, but a visit is always in my mind.
Beware, though, free offers are really dangerous with me! As a few UKBers and British climbers could tell you, I always accept, I bring friends, and sometimes I also keep the house keys!!!
Great post, by the way, beautiful pictures and people!
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Hey hey. Looking great there Matt, so it is. :great:
i assume you're not licensed. But will you keep a not for sale sly 4 pack of cider under the counter? Just in case Adge should swing by lollygagging. Sorry i meant training.
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In less than two weeks, we've gone from this-
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Untitled (2013-06-11 15:58:58) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9173742406/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
To this-
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2808/9173739940_c08e976320.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9173739940/)
Untitled (2013-06-28 15:44:51) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9173739940/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And that's just the main room! Room two is almost finished, the cafe and reception almost done and an opening date fixed.
Wed 17th July at 4pm,we'll open the doors.
This week, Paul Twomey and the crew from TCA Bristol will be down setting (after the guys and I make a shed load of volumes over the next two days..).
They'll be setting Font style circuits, using Core's Granite, Lime and Font hold ranges, from Vb to V6+ (we hope to put up more challenging problems over time (maybe a few guest setters? Volunteers to raise the game down here?)).
Still...
More to do.
Ho Hum.
Oh yeah...
Adge, always mate.
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Font circuits need font grades. Wtf is Vb anyway, some sort of disease? ;-)
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I know, but the local habit is to use V grades. Vb is a Font 3 (ish?)... V0 is a 4 approx.
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The local habit is something a little different by my recollection.
That aside, the V grade thing has always seemed a little wierd for me in Devon. Most of the grades seem wrong to me as they were transformed from British tech' to V. Why not lead the way and bring south Devon up to date with the elegance of the font grade?
ps- looks great. Looking forward to a session when I'm back in the motherland. What's the score with the coffee?
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Plumbing the machine in this week (before Paul arrives (I have been told!)), Barista training for the lot of us next week.
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Where are you getting your beans from?
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The setters are coming! The setters are coming!
Damn but TCA Bristol crew are good!
61 problems in 5 circuits, in one day and all climbed (ish) too.
Purple, Vb, 12 prbs.
Dark green, V0-V1, 11 prbs.
Blue, V1-V2, 13 prbs.
Red, V2-V4, 13 prbs.
Bright green, V4-V7, 12 prbs.
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2881/9204561094_d59d691f2b.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204561094/)
Untitled (2013-07-03 10:02:50) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204561094/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
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Untitled (2013-07-03 15:36:16) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9201770967/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
The Beastmaker board continues to grow...
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Untitled (2013-07-03 15:27:32) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204559694/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
We may have spent a bit of time playing...
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Untitled (2013-07-03 15:43:15) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204550442/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And the kids had to test everything!
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Untitled (2013-07-03 16:45:03) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9201763493/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2882/9204552110_4e671a1300.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204552110/)
Untitled (2013-07-03 15:39:58) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204552110/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
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Untitled (2013-07-03 15:38:22) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9201768101/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3777/9204558414_caaf5322f9.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204558414/)
Untitled (2013-07-03 15:35:03) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9204558414/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Two weeks to opening.
Nervous...
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We open tomorrow!!!
Big shout out to Dunnyg, who gave up a glorious day yesterday to assist (read, do instead of) our resident training fiend Mark; to set the systems board and generally dig out around the Bunker!!!
Cheers Huw!
(http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5478/9293984499_b3ff461d7e.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293984499/)
Untitled (2013-07-15 16:27:38) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293984499/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
(Unfortunately, the wooden holds have to come with a future reset).
We have our Beastmaker Board...
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3756/9293983147_d03c9e4913.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293983147/)
Untitled (2013-07-15 16:28:21) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293983147/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
We have a traversing wall, cross trainer, two exercise bikes, a couple of triceps dip stations.
(http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3804/9293986035_9a7e22b7bd.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293986035/)
Untitled (2013-07-15 16:26:50) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293986035/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
And, The Ladybird circuit, for the climber yet to start school.
Nestled between the main problems, Blue, Yellow and Red routes for the shorter climber, finishing at a handy lift down height for the annoying adult in your life...
(http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2838/9293991535_82e421f01d.jpg) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293991535/)
Untitled (2013-07-15 16:25:17) (http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldmanmatt/9293991535/#) by oldmanmatt (http://www.flickr.com/people/oldmanmatt/), on Flickr
Many thanks to Mock Rock for that serendipitous delivery :) ...
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Good luck
:great:
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Good luck
:great:
+1 \o/
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looking good matt. like the ladybird circuit idea.
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Best of luck Matt.
looking good matt. like the ladybird circuit idea.
Yeah this is a good idea. Until the Mini Works opened there was a big gap between what Raf could do on the kids wall and anything else, as even using everything was generally too reachy for him on the main walls. This is something The Works has been able to rectify with the Mini Works but the ladybird circuit looks a good way of doing it when you haven't got loads of space to work with.
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Good luck!
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Good luck!
Your handy work is looking good!
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Brilliant Matt - we'll be passing through in the first weekend of August so will drop in and say hello. Doubt I'll be able to sample much beyond your coffee though, as my other half's not a climber!
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In bocca al lupo , Matt!
Hope to visit you sooner or later! By that time I'll be probably strong enough to project the Ladybird circuit, but it will be worth!
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THE BOULDER BUNKER IS OPEN AS NORMAL!
As many locals will by now know, we at the Bunker have been doing battle with Npower since June this year.
Some people have got the idea that we have had to close down.
THIS IS NOT THE CASE! We are open as normal!
I have, from the start been extremely candid with the tribulations of opening a climbing wall. Other wall owners have warned me off this, but it's not in my nature and I believe people will and should be more understanding of what it takes for them to be able to indulge in their passion.
Npower, without informing us, changed our unit rate from 14.6p/unit (already high, check your own bill) to 25.74p/unit (nearly 3x more than anyone else in the country pays) in January. Because they made an error reading our meter and thought we hardly used any power.
This happened because they claimed to have been unable to read the meter, even though they repeatedly read the gas meter during the same period and never once left a "cannot read you meter" card.
When their mistake was discovered, they sent us a bill for £5500 (on top of what we'd already paid) and immediately debited the entire amount from our account.
Luckily, with the assistance of the bank (yea Nat West!) we recovered it immediately.
However, even after much discussion, we only managed to reduce the bill to £3000.
So we were forced to agree a very high repayment plan on top of a much higher monthly bill.
This is why we had to let go of two staff members.
That is why I over reacted to Mr Gary Willis in the DWS thread a few weeks ago.
Letting go your best staff members is incredibly heart wrenching.
That should have been the end of it, though.
We were promised a rate of 13.86p/unit and a token payment for our inconvenience. So it should all have been sorted in June.
Then at the end of September we received a new bill, for over a £1200 (on top of the £568/month we are already paying) because they are continuing to charge us at 25.74p / unit.
This means that even paying £568 /month we will never get on top of an ever growing debt and will be forced to increase this payment. They will not allow us to change providers.
Leaving us with ongoing bills of over a thousand pounds per quarter (or almost another member of staff).
We do not use any more electricity than the average household!
Here's a snap shot of our consumption and the calculations of what we SHOULDER have been paying.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/15/a72039baf78ee7685f52efc9d54ee01c.jpg)
Would anyone care to ask me if I would recommend Npower as an energy provider?
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And if anyone wonders why we carry on?
See Ed Gow-Smith's post in the Southwest bouldering thread.
Ed trains here (free, we sponsor him) and trains our youngsters.
And this is what we're getting:
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10205004544259255&id=1411527864
7 year old Keoni
http://youtu.be/HAuEVUy5zEQ
13 year old Kiera.
And too many more to list!
So, yes it's worth it.
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Bastards... Stick with it mate!!
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Might be time to get a lawyer involved Matt... certainly complain to the regulator...
Maybe a letter to Guardian Money?
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Would anyone care to ask me if I would recommend Npower as an energy provider?
:tumble:
Lawyer sounds like a plan. They have drop-in sessions where they talk you through it/tout for business down the road from me.
Get all of your evidence together.
Ask them for their evidence of what they say they've done.
Change energy suppliers.
Sorry for your pain dude.
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We have spoken to a variety of journalists today, one (from a certain financial Broad sheet) phoned the Npower press officer for us.
10 minutes later we had a call from a senior manager at Npower (as they had now magically found our mobile numbers and email address).
So they finally want to talk.
But will only make it go away if we accept that it is all our fault and if we agree to a two year contract with them.
Oh, and they have credited our account with £20 for our inconvenience.
Every decision we have made since June has been based around this massive, ever growing debt (it's like taking a loan from Wonga, without even ever agreeing to or asking for it).
We had to FIRE two good people, just to even contemplate covering this crap.
I asked Shark for permission to add a commercial post here, just to let people know that we were not actually closed (we've spent all day trying to reassure booked groups etc etc) and I have let my fingers run away with the typing, again.
But, maybe, I will post up suitably redacted copies of the correspondence in a separate, non-advertising thread later, because what they have done to us is incredible and people should be aware of how dishonest these bastards are.
Remember, we spent two months over the summer under threat of legal action for "not allowing them access to read the meter" (first letter came in June), when they had already read the meter in April!
But, every time we phoned; we were told it's all a mistake and not to worry and they will re-bill etc etc. Then a few weeks later we'd get another load of crap and threats.
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I had to submit a meter reading five times over the space of six months before they could actually generate a correct final bill (which resulted in them giving me back £20. I bet that hurt...) and it involved multiple threats of letting the ombudsman know just how wilfully ignorant they were of any correspondence from me. Switch to co-op, much better.
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I'm with First... who apparently have their faults but are fine.
They also have an app - so you can enter your readings every month yourself - and see your usage change etc...
MrsTT is with NPower, and 18 months ago tried to switch - using the switcher service - to a different cheaper NPower tarrif.. still on-going.. *facepalmicon*
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Sounds like a lawyer might be more use than journalists at this point (albeit also more expensive).
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That's really shit, what bastards. I agree that you need legal advice on this, would CAB be a good starting point? You've probably already thought of this.....
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Amazing response through Facebook and Twitter (45000+ views on the original post, several hundred shares and God knows how many views of the shared posts. Comments, emails, messages and phone calls from all over and crucially some long phone conversations with senior managers (board level no less) of rival Energy companies, only too willing to point out what Npower did wrong.
😎
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Keep us posted Matt - love to know what happens..
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Just I case anyone thinks it sounds a little strange that we ended up not noticing that the rates had changed....
This is all they sent us.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/17/92a9f706ea832e0883a9ee961b63bb3c.jpg)
We missed that really clear "new rates" reference...
And to be clear, this is what is laid out on the reverse.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/17/ae76152149197b98bfe834d32ade8a89.jpg)
You can all clearly see the new rates, yes?
Of course their press office is fully supportive.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/17/1095688ad789a678a57dedcc352d3a5c.jpg)
Oddly though.
Even though it's all our fault, they will cancel it all.
Because they're sooooo generous.
This is their offer.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/17/ef8a998dd221a9d2f18cb594be3a2410.jpg)
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Would you like to see the bill that started all of this?
This is a bill for 56 days!
Or... £33,619.30 per year...
Can you see why we had to look at letting people go? Can you imagine that until now this has not been resolved AND THEY ARE STILL CHARGING US AT THIS RATE!
And this is the first we knew of the new rates.
(http://tapatalk.imageshack.com/v2/14/10/17/4f410135fe14e7e2041e2c60e285d202.jpg)
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Oh yes.
They debited the entire amount from our account, the same day we opened the bill.
And did you notice that the press officer substituted £2500 something for £5158.03?
I'm sure that was a typo, of course. Almost exactly half.
Funny that.
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Ask them to come and meet you and go through the paperwork :) get the journalists to arrange it...
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Fucking disgrace by the way...