Planners approve new climbing centre for Bingley (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

John Beers wins permission for £100,000 facility

8:40am Tuesday 20th September 2011 in Aire Valley

A new climbing centre is scheduled to open near Bingley before the end of the year after plans were approved by Bradford Council.

Rock climber John Beers wants to open the £100,000 facilities in a former workshop adjacent to Ryshworth Hall, in Crossflatts, before the end of November.

The 5,000 square feet centre, which was built as a barn for Ryshworth Hall, will include a beginners’ rope climbing wall, low-level bouldering facilities and a cafe. There will also be a children’s area, which will include a smaller climbing wall, tunnels and caves.

Dad-of-two Mr Beers, whose Shipley-based company Hang Fast Ltd has made climbing walls for ten years, said: “I feel childish with excitement. We have started clearing out everything we don’t need and will begin building in a few weeks.

“I particularly wanted to include children’s facilities because the majority of places won’t let children under five climb.

“All children have an urge to climb and I want the centre to be a safe environment where they go with their parents.”

Mr Beers, 39, helped build the nearest alternative climbing centre in Leeds 15 years ago and has built facilities in the Falkland Islands and for the Army Apprentice College in Harrogate. He said the Aire Valley was “crying out” for a climbing wall.

“Climbers have migrated to live in the Aire Valley and around Menston because there are so many good places to climb nearby, like Shipley Glen and the Cow and Calf at Ilkley,” he said.

“I have had so much positive feedback I don’t know whether it is going to be big enough. We might have to look at something bigger as soon as it is finished.”