Base Camp – Climbing Towers

Base Camp, located in George Bancroft Park on Stansfield Street, Blackpool, Lancashire, FY1 6JB, was a key project in Blackpool’s major regeneration initiative, ReBlackpool. The initiative aimed to transform the central corridor with world-class facilities that would cater to the leisure market while improving the town’s economy and benefiting its residents. For this new park, a unique combination of art and leisure was commissioned—a dual-purpose structure that served as signage, sculpture, and a climbing facility. Designed with input from elite British climber Ian Vickers, the project resulted in two 20-metre-high climbing towers made from black concrete using locally sourced stone and aggregates. The name Blackpool was embedded in large climbable letters, inlaid with white granite. An additional bouldering wall, crafted from waste off-cuts of real boulders, provided a 20-metre horizontal climb that was accessible 24 hours a day.

The towers quickly became a landmark for Blackpool, attracting climbers of all skill levels and curious spectators alike. The facility was staffed by qualified instructors, and climbers were required to complete a short induction before using both the towers and the nearby indoor climbing wall at Blackpool Sports Centre. The two towers each featured three climbing faces on both the interior and exterior, offering a range of routes with varying degrees of difficulty, from 3+ to 8b. The routes were regularly updated, ensuring variety for returning climbers. The site even hosted the British Lead Climbing Championships in 2007 and 2008.

Beyond the towers, there was a real rock bouldering wall offering diverse climbing features and rock types, further enhancing the experience for climbers. For experienced climbers, the centre offered unsupervised use, provided they could demonstrate proficiency with knots and belay devices. Those in need of instruction could book sessions with the on-site instructors. Sadly, the climbing towers closed in 2017, likely permanently, but they had become a distinctive part of Blackpool’s skyline, standing in the shadow of the iconic Blackpool Tower and leaving a lasting impression as a testament to the town’s regeneration efforts.