Shock Wall Closure Rocks Birmingham
Birmingham climbers are furious after the city's largest indoor climbing facility closed its doors without any advance warning and for no apparent good reason.
Posted: 8 November 2004
by Jon/Dave Field
Birmingham's best known indoor climbing facility has closed down
without warning after the site was bought as part of a massive new
inner city development plan.
The Rockface wall reportedly closed its door a week ago without
any warning after being bought by regeneration body Advantage West
Midlands, which is acquiring land to be cleared by Birmingham City
Council for the huge Eastside development.
Local climbers are reportedly furious since the deal reportedly
won't go through until March and there seems, according to the
council, no reason why the wall shouldn't remain open in the mean
time. A statement on the Rockface
web site merely apologsies and says that the closure is
'necessary' and that 'we cannot stand in the way of Birmingham's
continued renaissance'.
A newspaper reports claims that the decision to sell the centre
early and close it down was completely down to the owners who
insisted on bringing the sale forward from the original March 2005
completion date.
An Extraordinary Meeting of the BMC Midlands Area Committee will
be held at the Fairbridge Centre this Thursday 11th November at 7pm,
with a focus on discussing the implications of the closure of the
venue. This meeting is open to all interested climbers. The
Fairbridge Centre is situated at 127/127 Cheapside, Birmingham B12
0QA. See www.fairbridge.org.uk
for a location map.
One newspaper speculates that the owners of Rockface will launch a
new wall in nearby Lichfield, but the closure leaves a void in the
lives of climbers in the West Midlands.
Local newspaper reports here
and here.
Thanks to Dave Field for the tip off, headline and links.
Discuss this story
BMC Midlands Area Open meeting arranged for Thursday 11 November at 19.00. All welcome, to discuss the closure of the Rockface and future of climbing in Birmingham. There are several threads and lots of info on the UKC website, including agenda. BMC are hoping for a large turnout to impress Birmingham City Council and Advantage West Midlands of the need for a wall in Birmingham (and before anybody starts slagging off the Council, it was the wall owner who took the decision to close it down when he did).
Posted: 09/11/2004 at 16:23
Hmmm...maybe I should try to get the BMC involved in a discussion on 'the future of climbing in Reading' given that there isn't, and hasn't really ever been a wall in Reading. (okay, I know, one's finally being built...)
Posted: 09/11/2004 at 18:22
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