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Chapter four in a series on how to read, understand, manage, and optimise route setting - written for the people who run climbing walls. Chapter three closed on a question: what if the difficulty of a route was never meant to be the creative decision at all - and your wall has been saying something you never intended? This chapter comes from Jérôme's side of the desk, and it takes that question at face value. How a route usually begins In most gyms, a route starts life as a n

Chapter three in a series on how to read, understand, manage, and optimise route setting - written for the people who run climbing walls. Last month we replaced a sentence - “just go and do what you want” - with four lines on a page. This month we're going after a number. Specifically, the number most operators reach for first when they want to know if setting is going well: routes/problems per day. The number everyone reaches for It's an easy number to love. It's easy to tra

The hidden cost of a missing brief. Chapter two in a series on how to read, understand, manage, and optimise route setting - written for the people who run climbing walls. Last month I made a claim: route setting is the product your gym sells, expressed as a conversation you're already having with your customers - whether you're listening or not. I promised that this chapter would start with the most basic and most neglected tool in the building. So here it is. It's the brief

The first in a series on how to read, understand, manage, and optimise route setting - written for the people who run climbing walls, not the people who set them. There is a department in your climbing gym that touches every customer, every day, and shapes whether they come back. It decides how hard your gym feels, how fresh it feels, how safe it feels, and whether a member who's plateaued finds a reason to keep paying. It is, by almost any honest measure, the product itself

If you’ve ever wandered into an indoor climbing gym and noticed those bright, colourful walls with auto-belay systems, you might have stumbled upon a Clip and Climb centre. But what exactly makes this concept tick? How does it differ from traditional climbing gyms, and why is it gaining traction in the adventure sports world? Today, I’m diving deep into the indoor climbing concepts that power Clip and Climb, unpacking the business model behind it, and sharing insights that co

January is when strategies get dusted off, budgets get stretched, and everyone quietly asks the same question: “How do we get more people through the door this year?” Across the climbing industry, the answers sound familiar: Adult memberships are flattening. Marketing costs are rising while conversion is falling. Secondary spend is softer than it used to be. The instinctive response is to push harder on the same lever: more adults, more offers, more noise. Here’s the uncomfo

(And Got a Much-Needed Reality Check) “More climbers than ever - yet for the first time, many walls aren’t growing.” That one sentence sums up 2025 pretty well. If you’ve been around indoor climbing for a while, you’ve probably felt it too. The buzz is still there, new climbers, new gyms, new gear, but beneath it all, something shifted. The easy growth has gone. For the first time in a decade, we’re not just talking about participation; we’re talking about profitability, sust

The evolving indoor climbing gym industry is increasingly relying on commercial consultants to enhance business operations and growth. Key services are in demand and consultants are helping gyms transition into competitive, well-rounded commercial enterprises that can hold their own in the broader health and fitness market. One of the most powerful tools a consultant can offer is an independent perspective. Here is one insight from a consultant on how to refine your Customer

As the climbing industry matures, the movement of physical climbing wall structures - panels, frames, steelwork, bouldering islands, rope walls, auto belay lines, Clip and Climb elements (modular sections) - has increased dramatically. Refits, expansions, relocations, and closures now happen far more frequently, creating a growing market for used climbing wall assets. But despite the demand, there has never been a structured or confidential way to buy or sell the walls them

Not all gyms survive. The Arch - Acton. For indoor climbing centres, there’s a three-month window referred to as the Golden Quarter: January to March. The data tells the story clearly: January consistently sees the highest footfall of the year (on par with September), averaging ~9.5% of annual visits. Most centres, even without much effort, convert this into 10–13% of annual income, compared with a baseline of ~8.3% per month. With the right strategy, January can contribute 1

By Jez Tapping, Indoor Climbing Industry Consultant Most UK climbing walls track something - check-ins, memberships sold, maybe even...

Discover why Clip and Climb centres are more than just colourful playgrounds — they’re a critical part of the indoor climbing ecosystem. Learn how NICAS Clip boosts retention, how these facilities outperform trampoline parks and soft play in long-term engagement, and why strategic partnerships with traditional gyms can turn fun into lifelong climbing journeys

August 2025 Trends Through a Climber’s Lens August 2025 has been a wild one. From a minor earthquake in New Jersey shaking the East Coast...

Student all night event @Westway Climbing. Strong community. Strong bottom line. As an indoor climbing industry expert , I’ve seen...

Stay culturally relevant!!! As the indoor climbing industry evolves, centre managers and business developers are looking beyond the boulders to find fresh strategies for growth. This week’s trending topics, from Glastonbury 2025 to the NBA Draft, hold surprising insights for climbing gyms aiming to boost revenue, foster community, and future-proof their offerings. Here’s how the top 10 trends from pop culture, tech, and sport can inspire climbing gym business and community de

Coaching: The Financial Backbone of a Thriving Climbing Centre For many climbing wall owner-operators, coaching is often seen as an...

A victim - The Arch, Acton. Since March, the sector has faced a perfect storm: extended periods of good weather, continued pressure on...

It’s been a busy week in the news: Haribo sweets being recalled, the drama of Roland-Garros heating up, darts players becoming national heroes, and banks dishing out cash to customers. At first glance, none of this has much to do with indoor climbing in the UK. But scratch the surface, and there are valuable lessons for gyms, coaches, and climbing businesses. Here’s what the climbing industry should be paying attention to. 🎯 Darts Is Doing What Climbing Needs To With Luke Hu

A Climbing PI Every climbing wall operator knows the feeling. You walk the floor, chat to the team, scan the rota, tweak the signage… and still feel something’s off. But what is it? Often, what’s missing is perspective. Not your team’s view. Not your own. But the raw, unfiltered view of the people who matter most - your customers. That’s where mystery shoppers come in. Used widely across the leisure, hospitality, and retail sectors, mystery shoppers are one of the most powerf

The Westway Climbing Team going above and beyond for the ITV The Games Speed Climbing Event (in the rain no less) TL;DR Indoor climbing...