 Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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do we really need three threads on this 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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boredsurfin, the figures seem to have been presented in a way to justify a certain resolution that relates to closing the ski slope, but the same thing happens to keep loss making facilities look more profitable too. It is the way of business ... and politics
... but ... if the site has wider and more finacially beneficial potential uses then perhpas one should consider the wider audience than those that occupy the 'ski bubble/vacuum' in which we, as snow sports enthusiast, tend to frequent.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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rayscoops, It seemed cost/debts from elswhere in the 'company' were dumped into the 'ski outlet' perhaps in the knowledge that it was closing or would close. As you say not uncommon.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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boredsurfin, simple normal management and accounting practice imho.
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| boredsurfin wrote: |
rayscoops, One in the piste would be more beneficial than the other two I guess.  
Sunbuel, to an outsider who knows nothing of the place and only from what has been presented on snowHeads, it appears to be to be a victim of local politics and the allocation of expenditure reductions. |
Correct, I am relatively local and IMO Ski Rossendale has suffered from lack of investment for years, even more so after Chill Factore opened.
I have only been a couple of times in recent years, once when it was snow covered and the other time was in the middle of summer. The Dendix was in such a poor state and worn down to the metal in places. Compare this to privately run Pendle Ski Club (less than 30 minutes away), which I was only looking at the other day when walking the dogs, it is in excellent condition and I could see that maintenance work by volunteer members was in progress during the summer shutdown.
The fact is and sorry to be so brutal, the local council simply did not (does not) have the money to pour into, which is after all a niche sport facility. They have even closed a local petting zoo. How could they have kept Rossendale open and invested the money needed, when they do not even have the money to keep a petting zoo open.
Sunbuel, I wish you all the best in your efforts to get this place up and running again. I remember back in the late 70's when Ski Ross was an excellent facility and well used. We used to have school race meets there and the local Fearns high school always thrashed everyone else.
So in answer to your question, local economics and circumstances killed Ski Rossendale, simple as that.
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You can't really tell anything from the financial summary presented other than there wasn't a whole lot of gross margin and that there was then a significant overhead allocation that pushed them very much into the red. There only appears to be hearsay about whether the allocation of overheads (or indeed direct operating costs) was entirely fair, but in a period where a business has been wound up you'd generally expect losses to be bigger than in an ordinary operating period due to redundancy, mothballing costs, tail off in customers.
I went a couple of times as a youngster and accordingly have fond memories but I can completely see why a niche facility such as this wouldn't be on a local council's priority list. Arguably this is the type of facility that should be run privately or as a not for profit if at all but with land costs being what they are its hard to see it being more viable than flogging it to a developer.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| fatbob wrote: |
| but with land costs being what they are its hard to see it being more viable than flogging it to a developer. |
And if planning permission for housing was ever granted on this site it would be worth a fortune. It is ripe for development. Good area excellent views over Rossendale valley and access to the M66, Manchester city centre 25 minutes away.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I would hope that the recreational planning status of the site would be maintained
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| rayscoops wrote: |
| I would hope that the recreational planning status of the site would be maintained |
Agreed, but will it. Times are hard and I would imagine that the site would raise well in excess of £10m if sold as building land, the site is huge.
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Kel, so the death, natural causes or poisoned? theres a big inheritance
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You know it makes sense.
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Kel, if the area is zoned for recreational use (which it probably is) then that is all it can be used for unless the landowner formally applies for a change of use in the next consideration of the overall 'development plan' for the area/council boundary; such reviews tend to be every 15 years or so and follow a couple of years consultation and re-zoning of recreational to housing is quite rare.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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sunnbuel,
I would say natural causes, but nothing has been done to prevent the death, which in turn may benefit the local council coffers in a few years.
rayscoops,
Yes, I presume the land is council owned, I am sure sunnbuel,could confirm who the land-owner is. So if the council want to change the use of the land and lets face it, they need to find £5m for the new pool and MTB tracks, then that is what will probably eventually happen.
Anyone familiar with the site will know that it is in a highly desirable residential location. If the site is left and ends up being rundown and vandalised, is there going to be much in the way of objections when the council apply for change of use. To be honest I will be amazed if it does not have 150 or so "Executive Town Houses" built on it eventually. Hope I am wrong and I hope the facility is somehow rescued.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Kel, I would have thought that the site was too steep to build many houses on.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Kel, councils do tend to round off boundaries or infill such sites where it seems the natural thing to do, to safe guard a bigger area and make a more defined boundary, so maybe eventually this site will go that way
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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If you let politicians run a business it will always end in tears.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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I learnt to ski and used to regularly visit Ski Rossendale, so I have a lot of fond memories. However, these are tempered by the less fond memories of breaking my arm there on one occasion, and breaking my thumb twice. I used to often see ambulances turning up in the car park when I went every week.
The place was dangerous, and only sustainable when there was no off-season alternative. The Chill Factore has come along, offering a much more realistic (and safe!) skiing experience, in a more favourable location for most people in the North-West. Okay it is a touch on the expensive side, but there's a limit to how many times you'll want to ski any small artificial/indoor runs.
Notwithstanding any mismanagement by the council, Ski Rossendale has had its day and deserves to rest in peace.
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Pendle Ski club and Chill factore both less than 30 mins. Ross ski slope 8 min walk. 
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Kel, +1 with your comments, I live 1/2 hour away, have driven past it many times over the years and have always thought, "why would you?". I learnt to ski on a dendix Army ski slope in Aldershot 25 years ago, and it was OK but theres not many easier ways to get a slow speed Bennetts thumb fracture, and like Harrogate near where I live unfortunately Rossendale is destined to extinction, a great thing 30-35 years ago but times change, new things like Castleford, then Chill Factore come along and unfortunately take their market. The local Council int th'ills is also not the most affluent so its a combination of 2 factors IMO. Sad to see it go, but life goes on.............on a similar matter, does Sheffield Ski Village make any money, does anyone ever go on it, I call now and again to Snow & Rock but have yet to see any skiers/ boarders on it, summer or winter? This is also struggling for investment (big plans went by the wayside 5-6 years ago when developer pulled out), is this at risk too?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Markymark29, gamekeepers is the more usual dendix injury. As to 'why would you?' well the slope turned over 500k last year, pity most of it went on 'overheads+staffing'
I think a well run dry slope can serve a purpose and keep its head above water. Agree with Kel that it needs to operate along the lines of the likes of Pendle. There are still lots of folk who are happy to learn on a dry slope as opposed to travelling to a fridge. Club racing is also alive and well on dry slopes. I know plenty of skiers/boarders who look at a fridge and say 'why would you?'. I actually enjoy the occasional slide at Chill but much prefer to be outdoors even if its on plastic.
In the same way it seems that many Uk skiers look at Ski Scotland and think 'why would you?', i will leave it to winterhighland, haggistrap et al to tell you all why 
I would like to see a mix of facilities survive. Cheap and cheerful sessions available locally on plastic for kids, disabled groups, schools and so on to set them on their way. Understandably pricier, but still good value, sessions at indoor facilities such as Chill and Castleford for those that can afford it and can travel, ski Scotland, yad moss etc, then if anyone can still afford it head off abroad
Now this stuff looks interesting http://www.neveplast.com/eng/np30.html 
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sunnbuel,
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I think a well run dry slope can serve a purpose and keep its head above water.
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Hear, Hear.
Any doubters about the future of dry slope skiing need only look at Norfolk Snowsports Club. Our slope is so well used that different disciplines (Junior, Race, Wanabee race, Masters, Freestyle, Ladies Club, Snowboarding, Beginners, Instructor Training, Adaptive, etc) fight over slope time. It allows participants of all ages and backgrounds access to skiing - you do not need to be well off to become a good skier by using a dry slope.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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Slightly off track, but their used to be many a bargain to be had at the Ellis Brigham clearance shop which used to be at Rossendale (closed long before the slope). They no longer have an official clearance dept, but all the bargains now seem to be at Castlefield store. Last time I went a couple of months ago they had loads of stuff all 50% off and not tat either. Just thought I would share it with you.
RobinS, Agree, Pendle Ski Club is a private run facility about 1/2 an hour away from Rossendale and as sunnbuel, has stated above if Rossendale has a future it will need to be run on the lines of Pendle. The problem is and please let's be realistic is the current state of the slope at Rossendale, if it ever is going to re-open it will require a good deal of money investing to get it to the standard of Pendle.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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RobinS, But Norfolk is in the middle of nowhere, whereas Rossendale is close to Manchester and the indoor real snow slope known as the Chill Factore. It doesn't matter how good a dry slope there is at Rossendale, the fact is that it is inferior to the real snow experience offered by the "fridge". The customers using Rossendale have diminished hugely over recent years, and it makes no sense from any economic perspective. Adding fuel to the funeral pyre, the local council have ruined the roads into Rawtenstall with new ridiculously low speed limits, further deterring visitors.
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| Benzknees wrote: |
| RobinS, But Norfolk is in the middle of nowhere,. |
Have you ever been to Pendle 
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You know it makes sense.
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| Benzknees wrote: |
| [Adding fuel to the funeral pyre, the local council have ruined the roads into Rawtenstall with new ridiculously low speed limits, further deterring visitors. |
which roads are they,and I doubt the road system has anything to do with the down fall.Chill factor is really the main killer and a crap council coming a close second.When Castleford opened its doors that must of made a difference myself and a few other people went fairly often as skiing on snow is a better experience than plastic and the catchment area is pretty much all the north as it was the first one to open but once Chill factor opened thats has taken everyone else they knew what they were doing in opening it and they knew that it would close ski ross.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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FAQ
grrrr
