The month saw continued growth across a large stretch of the continent, whilst the majority have now turned their focus to a cultivating strong winter for their businesses and maximising customer numbers.

NICAS, a UK-based charity, also known as the National Indoor Climbing Award Schemes, continues to make waves in the world of climbing education and inclusion. With over 300 accredited climbing centres worldwide, NICAS provides structured pathways that help climbers of all ages and abilities progress safely and confidently through the sport.

Active Meanwhile, a charitable organisation promoting health and wellbeing through access to meanwhile and non-traditional spaces, has submitted an Expression of Interest to the British Mountaineering Council (BMC) to host the GB Olympic and Paralympic Climbing Programme in London.

September had a strong theme of refurbishment and renewal, gyms across the continent were frantically completing works ready for the traditionally busier winter season.

Most gyms now understand how to provide a balanced spread of grades, intelligent routesetting, and a progression that keeps members coming back. The problem, however, lies not in the climbing itself but in everything that surrounds it: the hospitality and front-of-house experience.

It’s no secret that climbers go through a fair amount of chalk, and it makes sense. To perform at our best it’s no good having sweaty hands and a compromised grip, and chalk is the best way to deal with the problem.

MBS Industry is a French company created by renowned climbing Olympians Mickaël and Bassa Mawem and Sébastien Kuehn, a multi-entrepreneur engineer.

In mid-September Verlinvest, a Brussels-based investment firm best known for early stakes in Oatly and Tony’s Chocolonely, announced that it had acquired a majority stake in Boulders, Denmark’s largest chain of climbing gyms. The deal gives Verlinvest control of ten facilities across Denmark’s four biggest cities, welcoming more than 60,000 monthly visitors.

The height of summer across the continent saw plenty of refurbishment work continue as existing gyms prove their strong foundations against newcomers. The recent spike in gym closures appears to have eased with only a handful this month, perhaps showing that hopes for a strong indoor winter season will be able to see gyms through for the time being.