Halifax Courier

ROKT fights to open its doors

- Ian Hirst

ONE OF the most popular leisure attraction­s in Calderdale is doing everything in its power to open again

Rokt Climbing Gym in Brighouse closed its doors on March 22, along with its pub and restaurant The Millers Bar.

Despite the neighbouri­ng pub now open for business after the relaxation of Government lockdown rules, the centre in the former Sugden’s flour mill remains shut.

Euan Noble, owner of ROKT Climbing Gym explained because of the layout it is making it difficult to re-open.

“To say 2020 has been a challengin­g year for ROKT Climbing

Gym - and everyone else - is an understate­ment.

“After rebuilding our entire family of businesses after the 2015 Boxing Day floods, we were again hit incredibly hard in February this year with the most recent floods.

“The floods turned part of our site into a small lake, affected three of our businesses directly and cost thousands of pounds worth of damage.

“The forced lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic has seen the indoor climbing world completely closed.

With the loosening of restrictio­ns parts of the gym sector are now set to open, however some businesses in that space have decided to remain closed as the cost of opening with reduced footfall makes it non-viable financiall­y.

“I have undertaken extensive research with the current guidance and am sad to say this does not work for the climbing areas within our unique building layout at ROKT.

“I will continue to monitor the guidance, any relaxation of social distancing and vaccine developmen­t and update people in due course. In the meantime thank you to all our customers for their patience and support through these very challengin­g times.”

To say 2020 has been a challengin­g year for ROKT Climbing Gym is an understate­ment

ONLINE: Read more on this at www.halifaxcou­rier.co.uk

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