Extensive refurbishment is under way at a Bristol climbing centre after it received a six-figure funding boost from the British Business Bank’s South West Investment Fund.
The £460,000 investment will enable the Climbing Academy’s Mothership in Lawrence Hill to construct a new building with a chalk-free reception, café, shop and an impressive new mezzanine viewing platform. 
The work is expected to be completed by December at the Academy’s two-storey flagship centre, which already hosts bouldering, a gym, a functional fitness rig, campus board, moon board, endurance circuits, fingerboards, treatment room, café and climbing shop.
Other work will include the complete refurbishment of the centre’s 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 new custom-built gym.
Three jobs will also be created in what will be the final phase of the centre’s development.
The South West Investment Fund covers the entire South West region and provides loans from £25,000 to £2m and equity investment up to £5m to help small and medium-sized businesses to start up, scale up or stay ahead.
It is supported by fund manager FW Capital’s Bristol office, which provides debt finance to businesses in the city and across Gloucestershire, North and North East Somerset and Wiltshire. 
The Climbing Academy is run by climbing professionals Alan Cassidy, Robin Sutton, Paul Twomey and Richard Emerson.
It operates across five sites with three bouldering centres and two roped climbing centres – two in Bristol, two in Glasgow and one in Chippenham.
Alan Cassidy, pictured, centre, with Lizzy Upton of British Business Bank, and Jordan Berg from FW Capital, 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 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.“
FW Capital investment executive Jordan Berg 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.”
British Business Bank director UK & regional funds Jody Tableporter said the South West Investment Fund was 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,” she added.
The South West Investment Fund aims to drive sustainable economic growth by supporting innovation and creating local opportunity for new and growing businesses across the region by increasing the supply and diversity of early-stage finance for smaller businesses, providing funds to firms that might otherwise not receive investment and helping to break down barriers in access to finance.
FW Capital, one the UK’s largest regional fund managers, opened is Bristol office, led by fund manager David Goodall, just over a year ago.
