We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, our wonderful customers, for your continued patience and support over what have been an exceptionally difficult time.

From September 2nd we have revised COVID restrictions. 

Face Coverings:

We encourage and support customers to wear masks around the centre but it is not compulsory anymore to wear them.

The reception team will not obliged to wear a mask anymore but the screen will still be in place around the reception area.

Coaches will still have to wear masks on coached sessions as well as groups with participants aged 9 and above

Centre capacities:

With the removal of the very specific capacities from government guidance we will be cautiously increasing our centre capacities by 10%

The Climbing Works – 105 to 116 (sign out still required)

The Mini Works – 45 to 50 (slot bookings)

Unit E – 45 to 50

Social distancing:

The government guidance from 19^th July means that there are no legal limits on indoor group size, but we still strongly encourage you to socially distance (2m where possible!) from people you don’t have frequent contact with anyway.

It is important that you continue to respect the space of anyone you have not mutually agreed that you are happy to be closer to or do not know.

We will continue to manage these risks and monitor them closely. In the event of significant new evidence and government announcements we will revise these new policies and not hesitate to put restrictions back in place.

The Climbing Works Team

We’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, our wonderful customers, for your continued patience and support over what have been an exceptionally difficult 16 months for so many people and businesses.

In light of the government announcement on Monday we have been thinking hard about the most reasonable way to operate from 19^th July.  We have been fortunate that unlike many other businesses we have avoided closures outside of lockdowns due to high numbers isolation in our staff team or customers.  In an effort to support this moving forward we are taking a cautious view to reducing control measures in the weeks to come:

Face Coverings:

Face coverings will remain mandatory at all times in the centre from 19^th July with the following exceptions:

While climbing / training in the matted climbing / gym areas (but please wear one if you can)

 - Coverings must be worn while at rest (i.e. between climbs) and at all times while supervising / coaching on the mats

You are exempt from wearing a face covering

 - E.g. Under 11s or medical reasons. Full list on gov.uk here, along with further info about face coverings

While you do not have to wear face covering while actually climbing this is strongly encouraged, where you are able to do so, as it means you are not putting them on and off repeatedly, which best practice guidance suggests should be kept to a minimum and done with clean, sanitised hands to reduce the risk of infection.

Centre capacities:

With the removal of the very specific capacities from government guidance we will be cautiously increasing our centre capacities from 19^th July:

The Climbing Works – 95 to 105 (sign out still required)

The Mini Works – 40 to 45 (slot bookings)

Unit E – 40 to 45 (Gym 6 to 7)

Social distancing:

The government guidance from 19^th July means that there are no legal limits on indoor group size, but we still strongly encourage you to socially distance (2m where possible!) from people you don’t have frequent contact with anyway.

It is important that you continue to respect the space of anyone you have not mutually agreed that you are happy to be closer to or do not know.

FAQ

Why do we still have to wear masks!?

Many of our staff and customers are relatively young or have underlying health conditions meaning they have either not yet been eligible for vaccination or are medically advised against it.  Leaving them at increased risk of catching COVID and developing more adverse symptoms compared to people fortunate enough to be double vaccinated.

There is also a risk to us as a business that if too many of our staff have to isolate, we would have to temporarily partially or fully close if we are unable to maintain safe staffing levels.

We need to continue to manage these risks and feel that maintaining our current rules on face coverings is the best way to do so, while encouraging all of our staff eligible to be vaccinated to do so as soon as possible, particularly in light of the changes to close contact isolation coming through on 16^th August.

When will this change?

These rules will be reviewed on 2nd August, or in the event of significant new evidence, and amendments will be made as and when we decide it is sensible to do so based on evolving data such as case rates, hospital admissions and progress of the vaccination program both in the general population and amongst our staff team.

Changes from 17/05/21

"Rule of 6" replaces the "exercise alone" rules
You will once again be able to climb and socialise indoors with people outside your household group in a group of 6 or 2 households!  Please continue to follow government guidance on social distancing, in particular ensuring you respect the space of people outside your group.  Remember many people will still want to socially distance as they, or someone they know may be higher risk, so please respect that!

This also means we will be able to resume some of our adult group sessions, including inductions, where they don't clash with the busiest times in the day where we expect to hit capacity.

You can also supervise guests from outside your household, provided you and they are comfortable with the higher risk of transmission with reduced distancing.

Cafe - indoor service resumes

From Monday 17th May you will be able to eat and drink inside again.  Please sit down with food and drinks before removing masks for consumption.  Once you are done, please give the table a quick wipe with the wipes provided, then dispose of any wipes and waste in the bins provided and return used crockery to reception.

We'll back back open from 10am on Monday 12 April alongside gyms and other indoor sports venues as part of the government's gradual easing of lockdown!

While case numbers are relatively low compared to December and many of the most vulnerable have now been vaccinated it is still important that you continue to do your bit to reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus to help us avoid further restrictions and enable a more timely exit from lockdown.  When you come back in to climb please remember the government best practice on your visits:

Hands

- Sanitise your hands on arrival, throughout your sessions and when you leave.

Face

- Face masks are still required at all times in the centre unless you are exempt.  They can be removed while actually climbing, but we advise you to leave them on if you can 

Space

- Be considerate to other centre users and maintain a 2m distance from those outside your household or support bubble.  Ensure you follow government guidelines on your visits and don't exercise / socialise with people outside your household or support bubble until the next stage of lockdown easing (hopefully on 17th May!).

Fresh Air

- We'll be opening all the windows that we can and will have extractors on where available to maximise airflow in our centres.  It might get a little chilly at times (where did the heatwave go?), so remember to bring an extra layer particularly for warming up, but don't shut the windows!

Our conditions of use are very similar to when we closed due to lockdown these are the key points from the more recent restrictions from that point:

- Climb alone or in your household bubble
- Hot drinks are takeaway only
- No adult group coached sessions (U18 sessions are allowed)

For full details please visit climbingworks.com/covid

Wall closure due to COVID 19 (Coronavirus) from 22:00 on Wednesday 04/01/2021

Sadly we are having to announce a 3rd temporary wall closure due to a 3rd lockdown starting on Tuesday 5th January.

As in the previous lockdown it is our social responsibility to close now and remain shut as long as advised to do so by the Government. We are optimistic that we will be able to reopen on the 2nd of December, but judging by the reliability of previous government announcements it may be later than this.  Please stay tuned to our website / social media for updates on when we might re-open.

Any members with a pre-paid membership or pre-paid entries – all pre-paid memberships will be paused from the closure date until your first visit after reopening - further details about memberships including those paid by standing order or recurring card payment can be found in the FAQ below.

In the meanwhile, please look after yourselves and anybody who needs help.  Be kind to one another, don’t panic buy useless stuff, be considerate, and we’ll see you all on the other side!

Graeme, Percy, Sam & the rest of the Climbing Works Team

FAQs & options to help support us

What happens with my pre-paid membership?
As previously stated we're freezing all pre-paid memberships until we are advised we can safely reopen.

I have a pre-paid membership; what can I do to help?
Thanks for your support!  Either you can let us know you don't want to pause, which will be helpful for our cash flow when we are able to reopen, or you could buy something from our online shop.

How do I pause my monthly membership payments?
We understand that this time is difficult for everyone.  If you are paying by standing order so you need to understand that YOU need to pause the payments with you bank; we can't do it for you!  Please drop us an email to memberships@climbingworks.com to confirm that you are doing this and include your name and DoB so we can link it to your account.

How do I continue to pay my membership?
If you are in a sufficiently stable financial position to do so and would like to continue your standing order even though you can't climb then that would be greatly appreciated.  You have set up a standing order with you bank, so you don't need to do anything for it to continue.  It is, however, important that you understand that at this time we do not know when (and therefore if) we will be able to reopen.  Please drop us an email to memberships@climbingworks.com to confirm that you are doing this and include your name and DoB so we can link it to your account.

I don't think I can afford / justify the full monthly amount while you are closed but I still want to support you; what can I do?
Thanks for your support!  If you want to keep up regular payments at a lower amount then you just need to adjust your standing order with the bank.  It is, however, important that you understand that at this time we do not know when (and therefore if) we will be able to reopen.  Please drop us an email to memberships@climbingworks.com to confirm that you are doing this and include your name and DoB so we can link it to your account.

How else can I support the centre?
For anyone else who would like to support us in some way you can find options for pre-paid membership, entries and gift voucher here.  We'll be adding some of our commonly sold shop stock such as shoes & chalk online in the next few days which will get dispatched weekly on Mondays.  We'll also run an offer with 15% off online Benky Grip Wash orders, aimed at other walls who are getting on with maintenance while they are still closed to the public.

Can I hire pads to climb outside?
Unfortunately we won't be offering pad hire as we'll be furloughed which complicates collection and return.

As of today's Tier updates Sheffield remains in Tier 3, so we remain open to local customers.

Unfortunately a number of surrounding areas, including Derbyshire, have however been moved into Tier 4.  If you live in one of these areas please do not visit our centres at this time.  Aside from any sense of personal social responsibility it is illegal to leave a Tier 4 area and visit a Tier 3 apart from specific exempt reasons such as work or education.

Current guidance doesn't seem to suggest that there is any exemption for organised indoor sport for under 18s (living in a Tier 4 area), as this can only take place in outdoors in Tier 4, but we will be in touch with attendees of our regular kids sessions as soon as we have clearer information.

If you live in a Tier 4 area and are on a pre-paid or monthly membership please contact memberships@climbingworks.com if you would like your membership pausing until you are able to visit the centre again.

Stay safe,
The Climbing Works

We're reopening at 10am on Wednesday 2nd December!

Wall closure due to COVID 19 (Coronavirus) from 22:00 on Wednesday 04/11/2020

Sadly we are having to announce a 2nd temporary wall closure due to a 2nd lockdown starting on Thursday.

As in the previous lockdown it is our social responsibility to close now and remain shut as long as advised to do so by the Government. We are optimistic that we will be able to reopen on the 2nd of December, but judging by the reliability of previous government announcements it may be later than this.  Please stay tuned to our website / social media for updates on when we might re-open.

Any members with a pre-paid membership or pre-paid entries – all pre-paid memberships will be paused from the closure date until your first visit after reopening.  Further details about memberships including those paid by standing order will be added to the website as soon as we can write it all down, along with some suggested ways you might be able to help support us in this difficult time for those able to do so.  We have been working on a replacement system for our recurring membership payments which we will roll out on re-opening.

As furlough works a little differently to at the start of the previous lockdown we'll be able to make some more of our shop stock available online and dispatch orders over lockdown (probably weekly dispatches on a Monday); this will be online in the next few days, so if you're in need of new shoes or a Beastmaker we'll be able to help with that!

In the meanwhile, please look after yourselves and anybody who needs help.  Be kind to one another, don’t panic buy useless stuff, be considerate, and we’ll see you all on the other side!

Graeme, Percy, Sam & the rest of the Climbing Works Team

FAQs & options to help support us

What happens with my pre-paid membership?
As previously stated we're freezing all pre-paid memberships until we are advised we can safely reopen.

I have a pre-paid membership; what can I do to help?
Thanks for your support!  Either you can let us know you don't want to pause, which will be helpful for our cash flow when we are able to reopen, or you could buy something from our online shop.

How do I pause my monthly membership payments?
We understand that this time is difficult for everyone.  If you are paying by standing order so you need to understand that YOU need to pause the payments with you bank; we can't do it for you!  Please drop us an email to memberships@climbingworks.com to confirm that you are doing this and include your name and DoB so we can link it to your account.

How do I continue to pay my membership?
If you are in a sufficiently stable financial position to do so and would like to continue your standing order even though you can't climb then that would be greatly appreciated.  You have set up a standing order with you bank, so you don't need to do anything for it to continue.  It is, however, important that you understand that at this time we do not know when (and therefore if) we will be able to reopen.  Please drop us an email to memberships@climbingworks.com to confirm that you are doing this and include your name and DoB so we can link it to your account.

I don't think I can afford / justify the full monthly amount while you are closed but I still want to support you; what can I do?
Thanks for your support!  If you want to keep up regular payments at a lower amount then you just need to adjust your standing order with the bank.  It is, however, important that you understand that at this time we do not know when (and therefore if) we will be able to reopen.  Please drop us an email to memberships@climbingworks.com to confirm that you are doing this and include your name and DoB so we can link it to your account.

How else can I support the centre?
For anyone else who would like to support us in some way you can find options for pre-paid membership, entries and gift voucher here.  We'll be adding some of our commonly sold shop stock such as shoes & chalk online in the next few days which will get dispatched weekly on Mondays.  We'll also run an offer with 15% off online Benky Grip Wash orders, aimed at other walls who are getting on with maintenance while they are still closed to the public.

Can I hire pads to climb outside?
Unfortunately we won't be offering pad hire as we'll be furloughed which complicates collection and return.

Social Distancing Update from 14/10/20

As of 14/10/20 Sheffield’s COVID-19 Alert Level is classified as High (or Tier 2).

The new restrictions change the existing the Rule of 6 which applies to Medium COVID Alert Level areas and state: “you must not socialise with anybody outside of your household or support bubble in any indoor setting, whether at home or in a public place”.  The intention is to reduce the rate of community transmission so that Sheffield can move back down from High Alert Level, at which point things get slightly less disruptive for everyone, so to help contribute to this:

Please do not climb with people outside of your household or support bubble while at The Climbing Works.

If supervising Novices (inexperienced over 14s, or any under 14s) you must be from the same household or support bubble.

We’d very much like to continue to stay open so that you can keep climbing here, as having to close again at this point in time without a substantial and unlikely government bailout would be catastrophic and we’d sorely miss seeing people enjoying their time climbing here.  For us to stay open we need your help; once you have signed in to the centre, we’ll need you, our centre users, to take personal responsibility for who you are climbing with and ensure that you are adhering to government rules and maintain good social distancing practices from those outside your household or support bubble.

Government Exemptions:

• Organised youth, disability or elite sport, and people who are working (e.g. coaches)
  • This means our regular internal U18 sessions and sessions for individuals or family groups can continue
  • This also applies to external coaches, but you must supply a risk assessment in advance

This based on government guidance about from here

Face Coverings Update from 13/10/20

Face coverings must now be worn while you are on the mats in between climbs / training sets, this is for the safety of all of our customers and is in line with emerging industry practices, and further necessitated by Sheffield heightened alert level.

At this time face coverings are mandatory at all times in the centre with the following exceptions:

• While climbing / training in the matted climbing / gym areas (but please wear one if you can)
  • Coverings must be worn while at rest (i.e. between climbs) and at all times while supervising / coaching on the mats
• Eating or drinking
  • You must be sat at a table or bench to do so.
• You are exempt from wearing a face covering
  • E.g. Under 11s or medical reasons. Full list on gov.uk here, along with further info about face coverings.

While you do not have to wear face coverings while actually climbing this is strongly advised as it means you are not putting them on and off repeatedly, which best practice guidance suggests should be kept to a minimum and done with clean, sanitised hands to reduce the risk of contamination.