A company that owns an Olympian approved climbing wall in Kendal has revealed exciting expansion plans, including a new management takeover of another wall in the North West.

The Lakeland Climbing Centre (LCC), whose flagship centre is the Kendal Wall, has recently stepped in to manage the climbing facility at West View Leisure Centre in Preston in partnership with Greenwich Leisure Limited, who are the long-term operators of the rest of the centre.

In addition, LCC are also developing a purpose-built bouldering centre in Lancaster, with over 700 square metres of climbing surface.

Jeremy Wilson, founder and CEO of The Lakeland Climbing Centre Limited, said: “We are very excited to be working alongside GLL and will take over the management of the climbing walls at the West View Centre.

“We aim to invest into this wonderful facility and have plans to spend £350,000 on new walls, holds and other facilities over the next six months.

“In particular we want to add more bouldering for all, but with a focus on the beginner and intermediate climber, as well as a brand-new lead wall.”

All three centres will be run using the same registration and membership details and the company says that this will give “our customers a broad range of indoor climbing opportunities in the North West region.”

Mr Wilson, originally from Bowness, set up the Lakeland Climbing Centre in 1995 with Kate Phillips, who both still manage the company.

They converted an old industrial unit in Kendal into what is now the Kendal Wall, which regularly hosts training sessions for the Great Britain development squad, as they set their sights on Olympic glory.

As well as lead walls (using ropes) and bouldering (no ropes) for experienced climbers, the Kendal Wall has family-friendly areas and climbing walls for those wishing to get into climbing.

In 2014, the LCC spread its northern zeal for climbing to London; converting railway arches into bouldering walls, and now has seven centres in the capital.