Tonight was the unofficial preview night for particularly keen people to see what’s been going on at the new soon-to-be-opened Redpoint Climbing Centre in Birmingham’s Gun Quarter (that’s North East, near the Children’s Hospital).
As with any creative work deadlines can sometimes slip, so rather than it being the ‘grand opening night’ that was in my diary, I managed to wangle a 1-week-before-launch advance preview of what the new place has on offer.
I stopped climbing at pretty much the same time as the Rock Face was closed over in Eastside and I’ve been waiting for a long time for something good to come along to fill its shoes. (Sorry - but a back-room of a skate-park doesn’t really do it for me.) [Edit: Looks like despite going down there a few times for various non-climbing things, the upgrades at Creation went well under my radar - possibly my 'new dad' status? Combine that with a series of bad experiences on the streets around that area (ask me about them sometime - I lived opposite for a few years). I guess I should really pop up there and do a comparison job at some point.]
To be honest I was pretty angry with the powers that be for allowing the Rock Face to close in the first place, and then to remain closed for around three years at the same time that money is being poured into getting people to locate in Eastside and trying to attract people to the area.
Anyway - politics aside - What does it look like? I had a tour from Andy and Phil (apologies if I’ve got your names wrong - I’m terrible), and they showed me some of the sights of the only-a-lick-of-paint-and-a-bolt-or-two finished article.
Here we go:
I’ve checked. This stuff is not going to fall on you. The space is visually impressive with huge constructed stalagtites taking the place of manufacturing machinery in an old factory. In fact one of the main stalagmites is actually constructed around the original crane which was kept in place and built around to provide strength and stability for the routes.
Everyone was really friendly and I think the place is going to do very well with that kind of attitude!
The walls get up to about 12m with around 125 separate routes, top-roped and mixed top-roped/lead. And there are routes for all levels of ability, so there’s room to be inspired with what other people do as well as a way to move up gradually based on difficulty.
The bouldering room - continues to the left. They’re still putting down the mats! The space has two bouldering areas, but the second one was still awaiting delivery so was nowhere to be seen. I heard that it took three days just to open the boxes for the holds there are that many across the whole place. There’s a shop, a meeting room for clubs to hire out and hang out space here and there.
They’ve had some fun with the holds too - apparently there are all sorts of weird and wonderful mouldings now adorning the walls!
Yep. That is a large stalactite! And yes - I doubt I could climb it just yet! Give me a few months….
I came away impressed and I’m looking forward to it opening next week. For the last couple of years I haven’t been climbing, so I’m going to push myself to get back into it, and if you’ve never tried it, they’ll be organising classes and hooking up with local climbing clubs for novices to try it out without it being too expensive. Anyone interested in hooking up and popping down with me let me know.
Problem solving + physical exercise = fun
I’m really pleased we’ve finally got a space back in the city for some proper climbing. Another in a long run of good starts to the year!
13 Comments
Thanks very much for the blog and the great photos. We are really glad you like it.
It was a pleasure to show you around and we’ll look forward to seeing you soon!
Good article about a really great soon to open climbing venue. I too was at the preview on Monday and am so looking forward to it opening.
I do have an issue with your comment about Creation though, it’s a good wall with a great atmosphere, so what that is it built next to the skatepark, what’s that got to do with the quality of the climbing?
Anyway, here’s to the future of being able to climb at TWO great indoor climbing walls in Brum.
Mark Stubbs
@Mark - me too - looking forward to it. It’s personal taste really - I just didn’t get along with going down there. If you like it then that’s good - can’t please everyone.
I can’t wait either, I am hoping there are some climbs that don’t look as scary as the ones in the pictures!
How much longer do we have to wait? Were there any dates mentioned at the preview evening?
@Dave - I think they were talking early next week, so not that long!
I haven’t yet been to Redpoint, but looking forward to going at some point in the future, but I do have to agree with Mark’s comment re. Creation. I take it you have either not climbed there at all or not climbed there recently? In which case I do feel your comments are unjustified and to pass comment you really should visit and make an informed decision rather than flippant remarks. The fact that you haven’t climbed indoors since The Rock Face closed… well more fool you then!
@all - okay, look I don’t want a little comment get out of proportion here. I don’t have any kind of problem with Creation - they’re a good thing for Moseley and are doing some great work. I’ve been down there for things like the excellent Project X Presents night, but yes - I haven’t been down to the climbing facilities for a long time. That’s what happens when you become a dad for the first time!
So can we leave it there? Sorry if I caused offense - it really was just a throwaway comment at about 10pm at night when I got in and that’s all it was.
Right i would like to start by saying that redpoint looks like an amazing venue and i’m really looking forward to climbing there! well done Phil + co.
Regarding you’re ‘throwaway’ comment about creation - i find it laughable that for a blogspot that can be accessed by anyone you can make a comment like that about somebody elses livlihood! you’re , as we now know, ill informed and poorly researched opinion will be a factor for peoples decision. may i suggest to you that you examine more facts before begining to mouth off about a ‘back room of a skate park’ - that back room for your info is far larger than redpoint which i am sure you must know judging by what looks to be deliberate streching of images taken at red point….could you have squeezed the pic any further to give a poor representation of the stalactite??
i am glad that i dont know who you are personally as i would be inclined to climb at either redpoint or creation depending on which one you WEREN’T at!!!
as for the throwaway comment….remove it…you’ve apologized yet left it on there!!
once again…well done phil and co and i look forward to using both facilities!!!
regards
John
@John - I’ve emailed you in response to that.
@John, That email bounced - I guess you used a fake address.
I have to say that your reaction seems a little bit over the top.
I don’t normally edit posts unless there’s something factually wrong, and especially not when I’m being trolled. But in this case, after looking at the Creation site I can see that my opinion of it was obviously out of date - so you get your edit.
I used to live virtually opposite and it looks like I had it in ‘pause’ as a mental image.
How many times does someone say to you “oh that restaurant is great”, or “that shoe shop does great deals” - which are opinions that get passed around. But I’d heard _nothing_ about the changes at the place - not an email, not a piece of print, not a conversation to change that image.
Living opposite for a few years and in Moseley for nearly eight years that’s a bit odd.
Combine that with the fact that I’ve been a victim of and witness to crimes (last one was only four months ago directly outside) in that area I guess you could say I was put off going down there.
Tell you what - at some point I’ll pop down with a camera and do a bit of a comparison job (obviously making sure to post on my blog before hand so you know which wall not to go to).
And don’t be silly - I don’t go round manipulating photos, unless it’s a photomontage.
Hia Stef
I didn’t troll you if that’s what you are inferring?
My comments were a direct response to what you said about Creation, not to cause an argument. Maybe we should clear the air and all that, after all, we are all climbers who love to climb. I am down at Creation most Sunday mornings between 10am and 12, except this weekend, hoping to go outdoors if the weather holds, so if it’s raining I’ll prob be there. So come and search me out, I’m bald so am usually wearing a beany hat to hide this fact!!!!
Mark S
Hi Mark,
That’s not what I meant.
Sure, next time I have a free Sunday I’ll pop down.
Hi Stef, didn’t know you were a(n ex-) climber! Maybe see you down at Creation or Redpoint sometime.