Mountain Clients

It was Nigel Shepherd, writer, photographer, BMG mountain guide, who when an instructor at Plas-y-Brenin, North Wales wrote: ‘Does British climbing really need an organisation such as the BMC (British Mountaineering Council)’? Especially as the organisation is adept at wasting taxpayers and members money:

The much acclaimed Festival of Climbing arranged by the BMC in December, 2001, lost £54,000. A guide-book stock write-off, spread of two years, cost £108,000. The trumpeted National Mountaineering Exhibition at Rheged, Cumbria, cost the BMC £40,000. Postage alone of Summit magazine, published by Greenshires the owners of High Mountain Sport and On the Edge, cost £40,000 and the Mountain Services, a new commercial wing of the BMC,originally set-up to make money, cost £51,000.

In 2001 ironically, Donald Trelford investagive journalist wrote: ‘The BMC is at the top of its profession.’?? If the BMC were a trading company, it would be bankrupt as it current assets are £22,000 in the red. Government and members, give the BMC in exess of £1,000,000 per annum to waste on too many staff, too many ‘officers’ and flawed business practice’s. Does British climbing really need an organisation such as the BMC? Especially as the organisation has now infested the UK climbing scene with – in excess of 10,000 expansion bolts that it has ‘put up for grabs’.

‘Bolts don’t grow on trees’:  Interesting one of the BMC adverts is entitled: ‘Bolts don’t grow on trees (there is a financial cost involved).’ When infact - bolts do, grow on trees. Kelly College in Tavistoke, Devon, has bolted some of its ancient trees (an act that will eventually kill the ‘protected trees’) in order to establish – tree climbing. Bolters who have convincing themselves that they are – eco-friendly.??