A Merseyside indoor rock climbing venue has received a loan worth almost £500,000 from the Liverpool City Region combined authority.
The funds for the Climbing Hanger, based in Sandhills and which opened in 2011, will support the opening of its fifth site - the Matchworks - in Speke.
The £496,000 loan is part of Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram's flexible growth fund (FGF), powered by Growth Platform and managed by the Merseyside Special Investment Fund (MSIF).
Ged Mac, founder and director of The Climbing Hangar said: “The FGF funding is an amazing opportunity to continue investing back into Liverpool, the city and people that nurtured and grew our now national company.
"Schemes like this allow us to invest for the long term creating attractive facilities and jobs to help continue to make our city a great place to live and work. So proud to continue to invest in growth back where it all started.”
The company employs over 100 members of staff, with five sites across the UK - visited by half a million people every year.
As well as the new site in Speke, the fund has supported the full renovation of the Sandhills site.
Jeff Cummins, MSIF investment manager, added: “We are delighted to continue to support businesses through the Flexible Growth Fund. Now is a crucial time to back local business to ensure recovery, and growth. The opening of the new site will create and preserve more jobs for the Climbing Hangar team.
"It has been a pleasure to work with Ged and the Liverpool City Region Growth Platform to bring the investment to fruition.”
The £20m FGF is part of the Metro Mayor’s £75m business growth package, aimed at supporting the local business community to recover, grow and create jobs from the impacts of the pandemic.
The funds are part of the Mayor’s long-term plan to deliver growth and to help the city region 'Build Back Better'.
