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Branny 
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Post subject: Demise of dryslope
 Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 04:23 PM
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Joined: Oct 11, 2004
Posts: 3466
Location: Drinking Hatorade on the Beaches of Africa
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in a vain hope to start interesting discussion...........I'm sad to see in the SCUK news that the legendary Rossi dryslope is in financial difficulties and wonder how deep the "rot" has set in on our artificial slopes.
[Article: http://www.snowboardclub.co.uk/news-7784.html ]
I lost my own local slope (yeovil alpine village) a couple of years back dispite the locals pouring in lots of time and effort to organise events and activities.
In the end bad business decisions, failure to invest and the pull of nearby snowflex led to it's demise..
i was wondering how much of a dryslope scene the UK still has...
i know there are pocket holds of resistance, halifax, chatham, warmwell....and i guess bracknell are trying to capture some past glory, stoke seem to have a freeski hub..
but 5 or so years ago we could be at a different slope competition every weekend through the summer months..each one having a strong image, it's own local shop and brand support...but know apart from the big tours (brit & snowflex) not a lot seems to be happening...
so my question is i guess..is dryslope dying off as more domes are created and more people would rather spend their cash on that and holidays rather than dendix and duct tape (as the article in this months whitelines suggests)
what do you reckon?
oh and as devils advocate..how much help do the slopes give themselves..and take up free marketing opportunities like scuk, goneboring and fotp offer...when was the last time you saw a "freestyle" setup for a dryslope night? yet every week we get one for each dome........ |
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mini.mansell
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Post subject: RE: Demise of dryslope
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 04:36 PM
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Joined: Jun 16, 2008
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Location: a world of my own, but mostly sheffield.
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i read the article with interest and what leapt out at me was the huge amount of money required.
when i see a dry slope i see something that surely should be relatively cheap to run.
it needs maintaining
it needs a water supply
it needs lighting
land rent
staff costs
i realise all these add up. but the ten million mentioned seems mad.
i would be very interested to know how the ten mill figure was attained.
Mini |
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flippant_guru
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Post subject: RE: Demise of dryslope
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 04:42 PM
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Joined: Dec 02, 2005
Posts: 740
Location: rainy'est place in the UK, Preston
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dryslope is only dead if we dont go
and me for one am guilty for not going
I started off at Rossi, and should realy still go there
they have a good kicker set up and some rails now, whats stopping me
gona go back this year, a full day at ross is less than an hour n a half at ChillE
and you can hike the hill good practise 
Flipp |
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StevieMcK
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Post subject: RE: Demise of dryslope
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 04:44 PM
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Joined: Mar 11, 2005
Posts: 1295
Location: East Kilbride
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The biggest problem I’ve noticed around Glasgow since the introduction of snowflex, is that freestyle is on tap 7 days a week. Although that might not sound like a bad thing, Bellahouston and Bearsden both had regular freestyle nights, where everyone got together, the ramps/rails came out and you were guaranteed a good session. However now that you can turn up any time and ride the snowflex any time, its harder to arrange a session and get people turning up on the same night.
I don’t know what its like at other slopes, but given the choice of hitting dryslope on a random night, or heading along to Breahead on a Friday night when you know other folk will be there, its not hard to see why most of them make their money from tubing sessions. |
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Branny
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Post subject: Re: RE: Demise of dryslope
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 04:49 PM
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Joined: Oct 11, 2004
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Location: Drinking Hatorade on the Beaches of Africa
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mini.mansell wrote:
i read the article with interest and what leapt out at me was the huge amount of money required.
when i see a dry slope i see something that surely should be relatively cheap to run.
it needs maintaining
it needs a water supply
it needs lighting
land rent
staff costs
i realise all these add up. but the ten million mentioned seems mad.
i would be very interested to know how the ten mill figure was attained.
Mini
don't forget the killer..especially on older dendix slopes.."insurance"
but 10mil seems very high, warmwell investment to take it from playgrass to snowflex and get new hire kit was about half-3/4 of a mil i believe |
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Last edited by Branny on Feb 04, 2009 - 04:50 PM; edited 1 time in total
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cantridepete
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Post subject:
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 04:50 PM
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Joined: Oct 28, 2008
Posts: 633
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only time will tell I guess. I have to admit, i've been riding for about 10ish years and in that time have only visited my local dry slope (gloucester) about 10 times, even though its half the price and half the distance of tamworth (which i ride every week) As for Ackers trust, i went there a few times about 20 years ago when I was a :cough skiier and loved it  Havent been back on a board though.
As Branny's pointed out though, i've no idea what events etc are going on, but i always consider tam to be my local so i dont even check gloucesters website 
If Rossendale needs 10mil it has got me wondering how much it takes to keep a place like Tam open though. I cant help but think that the gym, pool, ice skating etc etc must be subsidising the slope  |
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vennerfr
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Post subject: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:10 PM
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Joined: Dec 31, 2008
Posts: 65
Location: Nottingham,Notts
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Now i'm only goin on past posts about dry slopes, but i've heard all about the broken fingers etc on dryslopes due to the construction of the slopes, which could cause high PL? but £10million!
This always put me off, but then i heard about the bases of boards/skis melting with alot of use?(could be wrong there) so that was the last straw really for me.
I personally have no interest in dry slopes, but i also think that technology has also caused a large part of the dimise of dry slopes.
I wouldnt say i'm guilty of not supporting them, But i would ask why is it only Hemel that has been 'Upgraded' to the new indoor type? surely natural hills would be easier and better for us on the whole? i.e.less costs in creating height, and more spent on length??
I dunno, but as i said. I think tech/demand for real snow has caused most of it, I'm just waiting for new plans for the sheffield site! that would be an awsome indoor site! AWSOME! |
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mini.mansell
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:17 PM
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Joined: Jun 16, 2008
Posts: 906
Location: a world of my own, but mostly sheffield.
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my business carries 10 mill of PLI for the cost of £110 per year.
but your right branny, i hadnt included insursance in my guestimates |
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antplant
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:33 PM
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Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Posts: 260
Location: Sheffield
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| Mini, have you been to Sheffield Ski Village? |
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mini.mansell
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:40 PM
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Once Ant.
it looked a little neglected and i was the only person there.
was tempted to go ride there today though as it had a nice snow cover.. |
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antplant
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:46 PM
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Location: Sheffield
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I thought that too but instead opted to go hike some farmers fields. It's the lack re-investment that screws things up. They were supposed to be putting a fridge over the ski village which would have been amazing but now as others say they probably make most of their money from kids activities.
Fancy going up there soon? Tomorrow? |
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mini.mansell
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:50 PM
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Joined: Jun 16, 2008
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| if you decide to go tomorrow Ant. gimme a call. its only 5 mins from my place. |
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antplant
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:54 PM
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Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Posts: 260
Location: Sheffield
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| cool, i'll check times and probably go up in afternoon |
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antplant
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 07:58 PM
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Joined: Sep 02, 2008
Posts: 260
Location: Sheffield
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| £18 for half day 2 - 6pm + whatever discount with the scuk card |
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Branny
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Post subject: RE: Just a thought?!?
Posted: Feb 04, 2009 - 08:00 PM
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Joined: Oct 11, 2004
Posts: 3466
Location: Drinking Hatorade on the Beaches of Africa
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