Rock Up

What Rock Up does

Rock Up Limited is a UK-based, privately-held operator of indoor climbing and soft-play adventure centres, headquartered at Whiteley Shopping Centre, Fareham, and serving families, children, schools, corporate teams and community groups across England. The business runs 10 purpose-built sites inside regional shopping centres (Broadway Plaza Birmingham, Lakeside, Meadowhall, Rushden Lakes, Harlequin Watford, Whiteley, Walton-on-Thames, Manchester/Chill Factore, Hull, Weston-super-Mare), combining auto-belay climbing walls, multi-storey soft play, themed vertical challenges (Leap of Faith, Stairway to Heaven, Vertical Drop Slide) and High Ropes courses with on-site cafes.

The core technology stack centres on safety architecture — automatic belay devices rated 15kg–150kg, proprietary clipping systems and mandatory safety briefings — augmented by NICAS-accredited Climbing Academy courses for ages 6+ and SEND-focused Calm Climbing sessions. In 2024 the company layered a digital gamification product, Interactive Climbing (Climbing Quest), using wristband-based treasure hunts across walls, and integrated Clearpay buy-now-pay-later to reduce booking friction. Underlying platforms include an online booking system, membership management, and dedicated corporate and group enquiry funnels.

Rock Up monetises through per-session climbing and soft-play fees, party packages (minimum 8 children), a monthly unlimited-climbing membership, £10–£50 gift cards, a 10-visit Mini Explorer soft-play bundle, NICAS-accredited courses (£5 tasters), cafe sales and B2B corporate event packages, with sales flowing exclusively through owned-and-operated physical centres and the rock-up.co.uk direct-to-consumer booking engine. There are no disclosed funding rounds, acquisitions, parent company or institutional investors, indicating the business has scaled to 10 sites and 51–100 employees through organic, bootstrapped growth since 2014.

Name

Rock Up

Legal name

Rock Up Limited

Website

https://rock-up.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Rock Up Limited operates 10 indoor climbing and soft-play adventure centres across England, serving families, schools, corporate teams and community groups with auto-belay climbing walls, soft play, vertical challenges and NICAS-accredited courses through owned retail sites and direct online booking.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Indoor Recreation & Adventure Centres

NAICS

Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (71399)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Climbing & Mountaineering Gyms/Guides (Indoor, Outdoor, Via Ferrata) (THAAAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Via Ferrata & Adventure Climbing Parks (THAAACAE), Climbing & Via Ferrata Guiding / Instruction (THAAALAH)

Keywords

• Indoor climbing centres
• Soft play facilities
• Climbing academy courses
• Birthday party venues
• Corporate team building

Headquarters

HQ city

Whitley Bay

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices10 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Climbing Session Fees: Core revenue from indoor climbing sessions priced per person. Sessions include safety briefing and climbing time. Standard sessions are approximately 90 minutes (55 minutes climbing time), with 60-minute sessions at Meadowhall.
2. Birthday Party Packages: Party packages include climbing activity, party food, reserved party area, and optional add-ons. Minimum 8 children required. Packages for various age groups including toddler parties and arena exclusive hire.
3. Soft Play Sessions: Indoor soft play areas for young children with stay-and-play options during term time and 2-hour sessions on weekends and school holidays. Multi-storey soft play with ball pools, slides, and play zones.
4. Membership Subscriptions: Unlimited climbing and soft play membership with free adult spectator entry and 10% off birthday parties. Billed monthly with no minimum term. Approximately £3 more than standard climb price.
5. Gift Cards: Gift vouchers sold in denominations of £10 to £50, valid for 12 months, redeemable at any Rock Up location for any activity or cafe purchases.
6. Cafe and Food Services: On-site cafes at most locations serving fresh food, hot meals, barista-quality coffee, and refreshments. Birthday party catering included in party packages. Meadowhall serves slushies and snacks but does not have a full cafe.
7. Climbing Academy Courses: 10-week NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) after-school courses for children aged 6+ offering nationally accredited climbing qualifications. Taster sessions available for £5 applied to full course cost.
8. Soft Play Bundles: Mini Explorer Bundle - discounted pack of 10 soft play visits for frequent visitors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Rock Up operates 10 indoor climbing and soft play adventure centres across England, providing auto-belay climbing sessions on themed walls, multi-storey soft play, vertical challenges (Leap of Faith, Stairway to Heaven, Vertical Drop Slide), High Ropes courses, toddler sessions, birthday parties, NICAS-accredited climbing courses, and SEND-friendly calm climbing. Revenue comes from session fees, party packages, recurring memberships, gift cards, and group/corporate bookings served at physical centres and an online booking platform.

Product overview

Rock Up is an indoor climbing and adventure centre chain operating 10 locations across England. The core offering combines fun climbing on auto-belay walls (suitable ages 4+) with multi-storey soft play areas, supported by themed vertical challenges (Leap of Faith, Stairway to Heaven, Vertical Drop Slide), High Ropes Courses at select locations, and on-site cafes. The product portfolio extends through add-on modules including Birthday Parties (climbing, soft play, and party lite options), Rock Stars/Climbing Academy (NICAS-accredited 10-week courses), Calm Climbing (SEND-friendly sessions), and Home Educators sessions. A subscription Membership program provides unlimited access, while Gift Cards and Mini Explorer Bundles serve as retail add-ons. Interactive Climbing (Climbing Quest) is a recent digital gamification feature where climbers compete using wristbands to earn points by finding hidden clues.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fun Climbing Indoor climbing sessions on colourful themed walls using auto-belay devices, suitable for ages 4 and up, with challenges ranging from beginner to advanced.
• Soft Play Multi-storey indoor soft play areas for babies through primary school age, featuring ball pools, slides, and crawl zones, with parent viewing areas and adjacent cafe seating.
• Vertical Challenges Themed vertical obstacles including Leap of Faith, Stairway to Heaven, Vertical Drop Slide, Traverse Wall, and Rotating Treadmill Wall, designed to challenge climbers and help conquer fear of heights.
• High Ropes Course Suspended high ropes adventure course featuring tunnels, hanging bridges, rope traverses, and zip-lines, elevated 8 metres above the climbing arena floor at select locations.
• Toddler Climb and Play Specialized sessions for walkers up to 4 years old combining introductory climbing with unlimited soft play access, featuring smaller equipment scaled for young children.
• Birthday Parties Organized party packages including climbing or soft play activities with party food, reserved areas, and optional add-ons such as goody bags and vertical challenges for the birthday child. Minimum 8 children required.
• Climbing Academy (Rock Stars) 10-week after-school climbing courses based on the NICAS (National Indoor Climbing Award Scheme) CLiP framework, providing a nationally accredited rock climbing qualification for children aged 6 and up.
• Calm Climbing (SEND) Specialized quieter sessions for visitors with Autism and SEND needs, featuring reduced music, fewer climbers in the arena, and a calmer environment with family and siblings welcome.
• Home Educators Sessions Dedicated climbing sessions for home-educated children aged 4 and up, available weekdays before 3pm during term time, integrating physical challenges into home education curriculum.
• Corporate Events Team building and corporate event packages with flexible options for workplace groups, offering climbing activities designed to foster teamwork and inclusivity.
• Climbing Membership Recurring monthly membership offering unlimited climbing sessions, unlimited soft play access, free entry for one accompanying parent, and 10% discount on birthday parties with no minimum term.
• Gift Cards Pre-paid gift vouchers available in denominations from £10 to £50, valid for 365 days, redeemable at any Rock Up location against any activity or cafe purchase.
• Mini Explorer Bundle Discounted bundle of 10 soft play visits for repeat young adventurers, offering bulk-buy savings compared to individual session pricing.
• Interactive Climbing Quest Digital climbing treasure hunt experience where climbers wear wristbands and compete to find hidden clues across walls to earn points, available as an add-on to any standard booking.
• Cafe On-site cafe serving fresh food, hot meals, snacks, and barista-quality coffee, positioned with arena viewing to allow parents to watch climbers while dining. Meadowhall location offers drinks and snacks only.

Quantifiable outcome

• Weight range for automatic belay devices: 35lbs to 330lbs (15kg to 150kg)
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles8 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Go Ape: UK adventure activity operator running high ropes, zip lines, and aerial courses across multiple sites. Directly comparable to Rock Up on high ropes courses, family adventure positioning, and multi-site UK leisure footprint.
• Flip Out: UK trampoline and indoor adventure park chain offering climbing elements, soft play, and birthday parties. Comparable to Rock Up on family indoor adventure format, party packages, and multi-site UK estate.
• The Climbing Hangar: UK-based indoor bouldering and climbing gym chain operating multiple sites with a strong community and route-setting focus. Overlaps with Rock Up on climbing facility operations and UK family market, though more bouldering-led.
• Gravity Active Entertainment: UK operator of trampoline and adventure parks featuring climbing walls, ninja courses, and party packages. Overlaps with Rock Up on multi-attraction family entertainment centres, party channel, and UK shopping-park locations.
• Clip 'n Climb: International indoor climbing centre franchise featuring auto-belay walls and themed challenges for families and groups. Highly comparable to Rock Up's auto-belay, themed-wall, party-oriented model and global rollout playbook.
• Boulder UK: UK climbing gym operator offering bouldering and roped climbing with sessions, courses, and parties. Directly comparable to Rock Up on indoor climbing services, kids' programmes, and multi-site UK operations.

Broad incumbents

• Tenpin: UK family entertainment chain combining bowling, soft play, and activity attractions. Overlaps with Rock Up on family indoor entertainment, party bookings, and shopping-park real estate strategy.
• David Lloyd Leisure: Large UK premium health and leisure club operator with climbing facilities, kids' classes, and family memberships at scale. Comparable membership model and family leisure positioning, though climbing is one of many amenities.
• Better (GLL): UK-wide leisure centre operator running council-partnered gyms, swimming, climbing walls, and kids' activities. Comparable indoor leisure and climbing activity offering, particularly for schools and community groups, though operating under a public-sector partnership model.

Regional players

• Vertical Chill Edinburgh: Indoor climbing centre in Scotland offering roped climbing and beginner sessions. Comparable indoor climbing centre concept but geographically separate from Rock Up's England-only footprint.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/rockupwhiteley
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rock-up

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Rock Up