Aiming to be a space that inspires and motivates people of all ages and abilities to be active and ambitious, the new 1,850m² purpose-built centre in the heart of the borough’s town centre will house an array of climbing facilities that give everyone the chance to safely push their limits, try something new, and most importantly, have a bit of fun while doing it.
Set to be one of the most exciting facilities of its kind in Greater Manchester, Summit Up will be accessible for all the family – from complete novices, right through to seasoned climbers.
Climbing enthusiasts, schools, youth groups, corporate businesses, and more can get involved.
ADVERTISEMENT
When it comes to the facilities on offer at the new Oldham centre, the star of the show will undoubtedly be the ‘Clip ‘n Climb’ – a “fun climbing” concept that Summit Up wants to bring to the local community.
Designed by Entre-prises UK – the sole supplier of climbing walls for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – the unique Clip ‘n Climb concept is on offer at several outdoor activity centres all across the globe, but the Clip ‘n Climb at Summit Up in Oldham will actually be one of the highest and largest in the UK.
ADVERTISEMENT
This means that visitors will be able to experience world-class walls as climbed by some of the best competitive climbers on earth.
Summit Up will be accessible for all the family, from complete novices, right through seasoned climbers / Credit: Summit Up
Clip ‘n Climb Oldham will feature 25 challenges, including the adrenaline-pumping ‘Leap of Faith’, the popular ‘Stairway to Heaven’, and a thrilling 10-metre ‘Vertical Drop Slide’, as well as two ValoClimb walls – which use world-first interactive gaming technology and are designed to boost fitness while offering a challenging alternative to traditional climbing.
Summit Up arrives in Oldham ready to capture the excitement and enthusiasm that’s in the air after Sport Climbing was featured in the Olympic Games for the first time ever at Tokyo 2020, with all three Olympic disciplines of lead climbing, bouldering, and speed climbing on offer at the new centre.
ADVERTISEMENT
It will be the only centre in Greater Manchester with an official speed climbing facility too.
And if all of that wasn’t as exciting enough as it is, the centre will also have a soft play area, dedicated party rooms, retail merchandise, and a ‘South Ridge’ cafe to stop off at for some well-deserved refreshments after a day of climbing.
Summit Up’s arrival in Oldham wouldn’t be possible without the help of The Stoller Charitable Trust – which is funding the building of the centre to “leave a lasting legacy” for the next generation of the Oldham community.
The centre will also have a soft play area, dedicated party rooms, and a ‘South Ridge’ cafe / Credit: Summit Up
Oldham-born businessman Sir Norman Stoller founded the Trust in the 1980’s, and has since gone on to donate millions of pounds to worthy causes – particularly supporting disadvantaged children from the Oldham area.
“Climbing is very popular at present and we expect to attract up to 90,000 visitors a year,” explained Stephen Lowe, Manager of The Stoller Charitable Trust.
ADVERTISEMENT
“The centre will be a huge boost to the area as all of the profits generated will be used for charitable causes that support the young people of Oldham.
“The purpose [of the Trust] has been to provide opportunities to raise aspirations, support Oldham’s young people to reach the height of their ability, and provide a helping hand when it is most needed.”
He added: “It is our hope that Summit Up will connect the community and create a lasting social venue in Oldham.”
Summit Up aims to be a space that inspires and motivates people of all ages and abilities to be active and ambitious / Credit: Summit Up
Summit Up is opening to the public on Saturday 18 September 2021.
The booking system is now live, so if you fancy being one of the first to experience Oldham’s new climbing centre and all it has to offer, head on over to the Summit Up website here to secure your slot.
Brand-new sandwich shop with Michelin credentials ALREADY forced to close
Daisy Jackson
A brand-new sandwich shop in Oldham founded by a Michelin-trained chef has had to close its doors already… because it’s simply too popular.
Fjord launched over the weekend, headed up by chef Kieran O’Reilly, with a fine-dining-inspired take on the humble butty. That means sandwiches with up to 20 elements inside.
But the sandwich bar above a barbershop has had to unexpectedly close after just a day of operations, telling followers ‘this isn’t sustainable’.
Fjord’s opening day on Saturday was so popular, they completely sold out within 90 minutes.
The new restaurant said it was having to turn people away from its Lees location, saying it ‘doesn’t sit right’ with them to do so.
And so Kieran and his team have decided to close the sandwich. bar and kitchen for the time being, so that they can reevaluate their operations.
“We’d rather pause briefly now than compromise on quality later,” they wrote in a statement.
“We need a little time to rework our production, increase our capacity, strengthen our supply chain and make sure we can deliver the quality and experience that Fjord stands for, without people queuing endlessly or missing out.”
Saddleworth’s new sandwich bar and kitchen with Michelin credentialsKieran O’Reilly (right) has launched Fjord in Lees
Over the next couple of days, Fjord will be meeting with their investors to stock up on more stand mixers, and more produce, so that they can scale the business to meet the incredible demand from locals.
In their full statement, they wrote: “Over the last few days, the support for Fjord has completely exceeded anything we could have imagined. From local customers to food bloggers, content creators and everyone who’s made the journey to see what we’re about, thank you.
“Today was our official launch, and the response has been overwhelming. We sold through what we expected to be a week’s worth of ingredients in a single day. The feedback on our sandwiches has been incredible, and seeing so many people enjoy what we’ve created has been a proud moment for the whole team.
“The only downside … We’ve had to turn people away. That doesn’t sit right with us. So we’re going to be closing for the next two days.
“Not because anything is wrong, but because everything has gone right.
“We need a little time to rework our production, increase our capacity, strengthen our supply chain and make sure we can deliver the quality and experience that Fjord stands for, without people queuing endlessly or missing out.
“This isn’t a step backwards; it’s a step towards building something sustainable, consistent and worthy of the support you’ve shown us.
“We’d rather pause briefly now than compromise on quality later.
“Thank you for your patience, your support and for believing in what we’re building. We’ll be back very soon, better prepared, fully stocked and ready to welcome even more of you through the door.
“This is only the beginning. All food options, booking and concepts reworked, all announced over the next days. Wednesday morning 9am.”
Saddleworth’s new sandwich bar and kitchen with Michelin credentials
Daisy Jackson
It’s not every day you come across a sandwich with *20* different elements inside – but that’s what’s on the table at Fjord, Saddleworth’s newest opening.
This new sandwich bar and kitchen is tucked above barbershop and hair salon Ruger, and is the first solo venture for chef Kieran O’Reilly.
Kieran’s trained in Michelin kitchens across the North West, including Mana and The Forest Side, and wants to apply that level of meticulous prep to the humble butty.
That means sandwich fillings of impressive complexity, like a shallot confit cooked for nine hours, homemade tomato vine oil, a moreish bacon jam, stracciatella laced with confit garlic and lemon zest, and in-house miso.
And Kieran thinks he and his right-hand man Charlie might have actually invented a new bread for Fjord sandwiches – a puffball, pan-fried focaccia that’s thinner, lighter, and more manageable than its big sister.
Fjord wants to bring Scandinavian simplicity with Italian flavours to Lees, taking over the former Kobe space on Yorkshire Street.
Fjord is making homemade puffball focaccia for its sandwichesMichelin-trained chef Kieran O’Reilly
There’ll be refined brunches in the mornings with Ruger’s own coffee blend, before the offering pivots to Sandi-Italian focaccia sandwiches in the day.
And there’s a beautiful terrace aiming to bring a dose of Sorrento to Saddleworth, designed for long lunches, limoncello spritzes, and sunshine.
In the evenings, Ruger Fjord will shift into a spritz bar and small plates restaurant.
Kieran has credited his long-time friend and mentor Alan Beak for helping to bring the project to life, saying: “Alan has backed me for over a decade – from cutting my hair after school to supporting this opening. Ruger Fjord wouldn’t exist without him.”
Emily Sergeant -
6th September 2021 
