Extensive refurbishment is well underway at The Climbing Academy’s Mothership venue in Bristol after receiving a six figure funding boost from the British Business Bank's South West Investment Fund.
£460,000 has been secured from the fund via appointed fund manager FW Capital. The investment has been provided to help transform The Mothership, a bouldering and climbing centre located across two floors on Charlton Street in Bristol. There will also be three new jobs created.
The South West Investment Fund covers the entire South West region and provides loans from £25k to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help small and medium sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead. Fund manager FW Capital provides debt finance using the South West Investment Fund to businesses in Bristol, Gloucestershire, North and North East Somerset and Wiltshire.
The Mothership is The Climbing Academy’s flagship centre and hosts bouldering, a gym, a functional fitness rig, Campus Board, Moon Board, endurance circuits, fingerboards, treatment room, café and climbing shop. Refurbishment work is well underway to construct a new building to create a chalk-free reception, café, shop and an impressive new mezzanine viewing platform which is expected to complete by December 2024.
The funding from the South West Investment Fund is supporting the final phase of the development. This involves the complete refurbishment of the downstairs bouldering area with purpose-built walls and a new layout and training boards from Walltopia, a Kilter Board, a lift between all three floors and the transformation of the old café/reception into a brand new custom-built gym.
The Climbing Academy is run by four climbing professionals Alan Cassidy, Robin Sutton, Paul Twomey and Richard Emerson. The business operates across five sites with three bouldering centres and two roped climbing centres with two located in Bristol, two in Glasgow and another in Chippenham.
Alan Cassidy, Founder at The Climbing Academy said: “The Climbing Academy is delighted to have secured the support of the South West Investment Fund via FW Capital for the final phase of our expansion and refurbishment project of our Bristol home - The Mothership. When we launched TCA in 2008 we were at the vanguard of the explosion of the climbing community in the city and beyond. This new project, made possible with the help of FW Capital, marks the next significant milestone in our journey, aiming to further enhance our facilities and continue fostering the growth and passion for climbing in Bristol among new climbers and old.“
Jordan Berg, Investment Executive at FW Capital added: “This is an exciting time for the team at The Mothership. The renovations will increase the quality of the facilities and expand capacity. The Climbing Academy has a loyal following of climbing enthusiasts who are sure to benefit from the enhancements to the venue, delivering a more comprehensive, social and modern climbing centre.”
Jody Tableporter at British Business Bank said: “The South West Investment Fund is designed to support businesses like The Climbing Academy to invest and grow, to better serve their customers. We’re delighted that via our delivery partner FW Capital, the business is continuing to provide high quality facilities to the Bristol area.”
The purpose of the South West Investment Fund is to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the South West. The South West Investment Fund is increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for South West smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.
