AusLeisure

An indoor gym and rock-climbing business in the city of Albany in Western Australia is to close - reportedly as a result of no longer being able to secure appropriate liability insurance cover for its indoor ‘ninja’ obstacle course.

As reported by ABC Great Southern, despite making no insurance claims in the four years it has been trading, as well as boasting a clean safety record, James McLean, the owner of Albany Indoor Adventures, has been unable to secure insurance cover for the business.

Cited as the latest example of an attractions and recreation industry operator facing challenges in securing and maintaining insurance cover, the matter came as a shock given to McLean given his facility’s safety track record.

McLean advised “we have operated for nearly four years now and without any major incident. No official claims, we've had a couple of rolled ankles, so we didn't expect any problem."

As well as the ninja obstacle course, Albany Indoor Adventures features bouldering, an adventure playground, archery and mini golf, with McLean explaining that it would be financially unviable without the obstacle course, which generates about a third of its revenue.

He noted “it's sad. There has been a huge affection for the business.

"We've done over 600 kids birthday parties here and after school ninja classes, climbing classes and countless schools from all over the state. The place is going to be missed."

McClean said the business was given three months' notice that the liability insurance cover for the course would not be continued, during which time they approached five different brokers.

He explained that the response he received “was either a flat 'No' - we're talking right through the Lloyds of London — or conditions so onerous, like doubling staff numbers, for a small operation like us is just not viable."

The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) said it had been particularly tough for the attractions - along with caravan parks, community events and pubs - to secure public liability insurance.

An ICA spokesperson told the ABC “in the past three years the few insurers underwriting this sector have been reassessing their involvement in these markets, globally and locally, and have either exited or significantly reduced their involvement.”

Mclean also owns South Coast Nature Play, which has not been impacted.

Images: Features at Albany Indoor Adventures, including the ninja obstacle course (below). Credit: Albany Indoor Adventures.

Related Articles

22nd December 2023 - Small Business Ombudsman admits failure to achieve attractions industry DMF

26th June 2023 - Albany Leisure and Aquatic Centre welcomes Platinum waterwise status

9th June 2023 - Discovery Climbing Walls’ installations tap into sport’s popularity since Olympic debut

23rd May 2023 - Former rock climbing coach sentenced to 13 year jail term over multiple sexual abuse offences

21st April 2022 - Nine-year-old boy falls from Flip Out climbing wall in Canberra

17th February 2022 - Walltopia spotlights rise in popularity of children’s climbing zones

17th December 2021 - Insurer Sportscover surprised by Small Business Ombudsman’s support for attractions mutual fund

22nd October 2021 - Sydney rock climbing facility suggests auto belay failure responsible for death

13th October 2021 - Man dies after 13 metre fall at Sydney indoor climbing gym

3rd September 2021 - Walltopia releases flooring guide for climbing and active entertainment facilities

16th August 2021 - Revised Australian Standard provides detail on safety requirements for artificial climbing structures

18th March 2021 - New Sunshine Coast bouldering gym welcomes all levels of climbers

12th February 2021 - Inability to secure insurance forces closure of Barra Fun Park in Townsville

12th January 2021 - Sportscover partners with Sport Climbing Australia to offer insurance for climbers

16th November 2020 - Industry operators impacted by rising insurance premiums

12th June 2020 - Insurance refusals impacting adventure tourism operators

15th August 2019 - Indoor climbing supplier marks 10 years of operations

16th April 2018 - Indoor bouldering innovation caters for all levels of climber

24th February 2018 - Research suggests bouldering can help combat mental health issues

13th June 2017 - 9 Degrees opens second Sydney bouldering gym

30th September 2015 - Sport climbing looks forward to Olympic glory

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.