Category: News
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Early bird tickets to the ABC Conference are available until 30th June 2026
- What: Annual ABC Conference & AGM, packed with fantastic exhibitors, speakers, and industry professionals from around the UK and internationally.
- When: Wednesday 16th & Thursday 17th September, 2026
- Where: Magna Science Adventure Centre, Rotherham
Book now
Delegate tickets are now on sale for the UK’s largest and most established event for the indoor climbing industry, the Association of British Climbing walls annual conference and tradeshow.
Join us at the UK’s largest and most established event for the indoor climbing industry. It’s an unparalleled opportunity for networking with peers and meeting with our wide range of fantastic exhibitors who will be displaying a huge variety of products and services – from the latest in wall manufacturing and innovative holds, to safety equipment and specialist professional services, and much more.
New for 2026
- Based on attendee feedback, we have moved the conference to Wednesday & Thursday and extended to two full days for more networking and exhibition time
- We are expanding the exhibition will into a second hall for the first time. A new demo area in the Face of Steel room will house a climbing tower, training boards, product spotlights and fun challenges
- We have introduced tradeshow-only tickets, enabling additional colleagues to join on Thursday afternoon for only £40 – perfect for retail or setting focused staff
- Our popular Inside Edge climbing and networking evening event will be hosted this year at The Climbing Works Sheffield, exclusively for conference attendees
Early bird offer: Save 25%
Early bird tickets are available until 30th June saving an average of 25%. ABC members also benefit from exclusive discounts and group pricing. 
The UK’s biggest dedicated indoor climbing tradeshow
We are thrilled to be welcoming back many of the biggest brands in indoor climbing as well as some brand new exhibitors.
Inside Edge
Our popular evening event Inside Edge returns for 2026! This year we’ll be at The Climbing Works Sheffield on 16th September.
Come and try out the latest holds in our friendly comp, do some social bouldering or just network over pizza and a drink courtesy of Walltopia.
What’s more, it’s all included in the 2-day conference ticket.
Book now
ABC Accreditation expands into Scotland
Accreditation Scheme Rolls Out in Scotland thanks to our Sponsor Redpoint HQ
Since its launch in 2025, ABC Accreditation has been awarded to climbing walls that meet high standards for safety and professionalism. Our first cohort of Accredited walls have demonstrated their commitment to maintaining high standards in the industry and running well-maintained, well-managed facilities in which customers can have confidence.
Launched with support from the BMC and Sport England funding, the programme was initially rolled out in England and Wales. Now with support from our Principal Sponsors Redpoint HQ, we are delighted to be able to expand the programme to Scotland, recognising the excellent standards at Scottish walls.
The rollout has the support of Mountaineering Scotland and we look forward to visiting and accrediting climbing walls across Scotland.
‘Mountaineering Scotland is proud to support the introduction of the Association of British Climbing Walls Accreditation programme in Scotland. This initiative represents an important step forward in strengthening safety, consistency and quality across indoor climbing facilities. By providing a clear benchmark for best practice, the scheme will help ensure that climbers of all ages and abilities can access well-managed, welcoming environments where they can develop with confidence. We look forward to working alongside the ABC and the Scottish Climbing Wall Network to support its rollout and continued positive impact across Scotland.’
Jamie Smith, ClimbScotland / Mountaineering Scotland
Become an ABC Accredited Climbing Wall
If you own or operate a climbing wall in Scotland, England or Wales, you can start the accreditation process today. Visit our website to read more about the programme or contact our Accreditation Manager, Nick Cooper, for personalised, step-by-step support from the start.
Nick Cooper
ABC Accreditation Manager
The first stage of the implementation of the Employment Rights Act 2025 is coming into force from 6th April, bringing a significant raft of changes to many aspects of employment. At the ABC, we’ve been looking at how this could affect our member climbing walls.
Here’s a reminder of some of the key changes that could affect you and your teams:
- Day one rights to paternity leave and parental leave. Currently paternity leave rights only apply after 26 weeks, and ordinary or unpaid parental leave only becomes a right after 52 weeks in employment.
- New statutory right to bereaved partners’ paternity leave
- Statutory sick pay will be paid from the first day of illness, instead of the fourth, and the lower earnings limit will be removed.
- Collective redundancy protections are increased with the maximum protective reward for failing to consult in collective redundancy doubling from 90 to 180 days’ pay.
- Sexual harassment will become a ‘qualifying disclosure’ giving protection to whistleblowers.
- Gender pay gap and menopause action plans become voluntary on 6th April but will become mandatory during 2027.
What you should do next
- Review the Guide to Employment Law Changes in the ABC Members Portal for more detail and compare against your own policies, procedures and pay budgets.
- ABC Members get totally free and confidential HR advice from our partners WorkNest. You can contact their solicitors via the hotline in the members’ portal for 1:1 advice.
- Join Worknest for their upcoming webinar, “Employment Rights Act 2025 – your questions answered”, on 16th April 2pm.
Exhibit at the ABC Conference 2026
The Association of British Climbing Walls annual conference is just under six months away and we are excited to announce that we are now accepting exhibitor bookings.
The ABC Conference is well established as the biggest and most influential event for indoor climbing in the UK. We connect wall owners and indoor climbing professionals with the latest insights, ideas, and opportunities (and holds!) to drive the industry forward.
We will return to the Magna Science Adventure Centre for Wednesday 16 – Thursday 17 September, with our evening climbing event “Inside Edge” taking place this year at The Climbing Works Sheffield. Delegates represent the whole spectrum of climbing walls, from small independent and school walls to the biggest groups and groups in the UK, and range from owners and managers to route setters, instructors and marketeers.
We are also excited to be expanding into a new space this year for a special demo area featuring a climbing tower and training boards. If you are interested in participating, please contact [email protected] for more details.
With optional extras such as speaking slots and branded merchandise, our exhibitor packages offer maximum value for your investment. Please note that exhibition booths are allocated on a first come first served basis so book early to avoid disappointment!
For more details, review our exhibitor brochure. If you know what you require and are ready to book, please head straight to the booking form. For any sponsorship enquiries or to discuss bespoke packages, please email [email protected]
Join us to promote your brand, make new connections and foster strategic partnerships. We look forward to seeing you at Magna!
We are proud to announce the new principal sponsor of Route Setting Development: Walltopia! With their support, we look forward to bringing our nationally-recognised setting qualification pathway to many more new and experienced setters.
Route Setting Development advances the safety, professionalism and creativity of route setting through national training pathways for both boulder and roped setters. RSD qualifications cover essential skills and knowledge in safety, working at height and competent, efficient setting. Courses are available to everyone from brand new setters to the most experienced setters looking to gain or renew their certification.
Walltopia has been building the world’s coolest climbing walls since 1998.
From boutique gyms to mega facilities, we design and build modern climbing spaces that combine striking aesthetics with high octane performance.
Through Holdtopia we distribute 50+ leading holds and volume brands, and with Climbmat we supply EN-standard safety flooring.
We help routesetters and wall owners bring their design vision and spaces to life, while our in-house production and assembly teams ensure premium materials and precision installation – creating facilities that look great for as long as the climbing addiction lasts!
Sandra Adler, Walltopia UK and Ireland, said, “We are psyched to support Route Setting Development! Together with Walltopia initiatives like Shapers Showdown contest and HRT’s “By Artist” grips range, we’re privileged to cultivate the next generation of artists shaping the future of climbing.”
Learn more about the RSD here.
Partner with the ABC for the UK’s biggest indoor climbing industry event
The Association of British Climbing Walls annual conference is just over six months away and we are excited to announce our sponsorship packages are now live.
The ABC Conference is well established as the biggest and most influential event for indoor climbing in the UK. We connect wall owners and indoor climbing professionals with the latest insights, ideas, and opportunities (and holds!) to drive the industry forward.
We will return to the Magna Science Adventure Centre for Wednesday 16 – Thursday 17 September. Delegates represent the whole spectrum of climbing walls, from small independent and school walls to the biggest groups in the UK, and range from owners and managers to route setters, instructors and marketeers.
What’s new for 2026
New schedule: With two full days Wednesday – Thursday you have more time in the exhibition hall
Face of Steel: We’re expanding into a second exhibition hall for a demo area featuring training boards and mobile climbing tower.
More ticket types: Tradeshow-only and one-day tickets will be available to expand access to the conference
Inside Edge: Our popular evening climbing event and holds showcase takes place this year at The Climbing Works Sheffield.
We’ve crafted a range of sponsorship packages to suit different goals and budgets, as shown in the brochure here. From Platinum sponsorship to hosting Inside Edge, each package has been designed to amplify sponsors’ presence and impact at the event. All sponsorship includes a booth in the exhibition hall and priority location choice.
With optional extras such as room name sponsorship, exhibition booths, speaking slots or branded merchandise, our bespoke packages offer maximum value for your investment. Please note that sponsor opportunities and associated exhibition booths are allocated on a first come first served basis so book early to avoid disappointment!
If you know what you require and are ready to book, please click here for the booking form. For any sponsorship enquiries or to discuss bespoke packages, please email [email protected]
Join us to promote your brand, make new connections and foster strategic partnerships. We look forward to seeing you at Magna!
Please note – general exhibition sales will open on 30 March.
The ABC is proud to announce the new Principal Sponsor for our Accreditation programme: Redpoint HQ.
ABC Accreditation was launched in 2025 and is a national mark of excellence for indoor climbing safety, awarded to walls that meet eight key standards. The programme was launched with support from the BMC and Sport England, and is recognised by industry insurers as a risk mitigator. With Redpoint HQ on board, we are excited to continue the rollout of the programme in 2026 and welcome many more walls to the ABC Accredited community.
Redpoint HQ is a modern cloud based platform built by long time climbing gym operators with deep experience building software for busy single site and multi gym organisations.
Redpoint HQ uses modern technology and architecture designed for the next generation of climbing gym business, providing a faster, more flexible, and more future ready foundation than earlier systems can support. In a short time, Redpoint HQ has become one of the most widely adopted systems in the industry.
Redpoint HQ said: “We continue to invest heavily in the UK market and are proud to support the ABC Accreditation programme as Principal Sponsor, reinforcing our commitment to advancing safety, professionalism, and operational excellence across the commercial climbing industry.”
Learn more about Accreditation here.
Can Climbing Walls Make Money?
Insights from Jeremy Wilson’s Keynote at the ABC Conference
At the 2025 ABC Conference, amidst the energising panels and exciting new ideas, there was also a key question facing our industry: can climbing walls still make money? To tackle this head-on, we brought in Jeremy Wilson, Founder and CEO of The Lakeland Climbing Centre, to deliver a keynote on this very topic. His candid, pragmatic, and ultimately optimistic talk resonated with so many of our members wondering if they were the only ones feeling the pinch. Now we can share the key themes from his talk with you.
The full article is available to logged in members.
Not a member yet? Learn more about the benefits of joining the ABC.
If you’re interested in indoor climbing market research, take a look at the ABC’s bi-annual report into the size and shape of the industry.
The Association of British Climbing Walls (ABC) has published the fifth edition of its bi-annual climbing wall survey.
This year’s survey had its highest ever number of respondents representing all regions of the UK as well as Ireland. It offers important insights into the size, shape and confidence of the UK market.
ABC’s CEO Kath Hipwell said:
“The report reflects a fascinating time for indoor climbing, with the industry changing shape and form arguably quicker than ever before. At the ABC, our mission is to support the professionalisation, safety, growth, and diversity of indoor climbing. Providing high-quality research like this report for our members and the wider sector is a key part in helping drive the industry forward. I’m particularly pleased to see the upward trend in professionalising the workforce, with more wall staff on secure contracts. Thank you to all the walls that contributed.”
Key trends…
Group walls have a bigger market share
ABC membership data shows the proportion of group walls increasing from 29% in 2023 to 36% in 2025. The average group size is now 4.5 walls.
Bouldering outpaces roped climbing in new walls
New walls are more likely to offer bouldering than roped climbing, with 62% of walls opening within the last four years offering bouldering only. Across all walls surveyed, 46% are bouldering only.
The workplace is professionalising
The percentage of PAYE wall staff has increased from 55% in 2023 to 71% in 2025. This is a good indicator of a more professionalised, secure and equitable job market.
The market is maturing
The sector continues to mature with the average age of survey walls increasing from 9.6 years in 2023 to 10.3 years in 2025.
Buy the full report here – first 20 orders get a free hard copy with your download!
- If you’re an ABC member, you will save 50% – that’s £250 – off the standard price. Join today to access this and many other benefits.
A free research sample of the research can be downloaded here.
For further information please contact [email protected].
To mark the first year of the new Route Setting Development Pathways, the ABC is offering its members free and discounted places on RSD courses.
ABC Members can choose between:
- A free place on Setting Basics (1 day)
- A free place on Setting in Practice (1 day)
- A 50% discount on Commercial Roped Setter training (2 days)
Every ABC member wall can claim this offer, saving up to £150 on standard course fees.
The courses on offer are ideal for upskilling wall staff and building setting capacity within the team, from novice level up to experienced roped setter. It also enables existing setters to gain a national qualification that recognises good practice and the highest safety standards.
Which course should I choose?
Setting Basics: for new setters, setting assistants and general wall staff. On completion course attendees will be able to set/strip with supervision and tighten spinners unsupervised.
Setting in Practice: for novice setters, enabling independent setting/stripping of bouldering at any centre.
Commercial Roped Setter training: for setters who want to be able to strip and set roped routes on a range of walls. Participants must have completed the above introductory courses, or can demonstrate they have equivalent experience.
How should I sign up?
Courses will be run in various locations nationally over the course of 2025-26.
You can find the currently scheduled courses here. If you can’t make these dates/locations, get in touch about bringing a course to you.
To sign up, complete this form and contact RSD Coordinator [email protected] with any questions.
