Rock Up Whiteley — Attraction in Winchester

Luckily for us, It was our 3rd visit to Rock Up yesterday. If it had been our 1st visit I think I would have been leaving a 1 star review. We were taken in the briefing room by a member of the team who we later found out to be "Alfie". He chucked the harnesses on the floor in front of everyone, no welcome, no talk around what to do / expect. After about 10 minutes of getting the kids in to harnesses, he said he's waiting 5 more minutes incase anyone else is joining the briefing session. At this point, you have a room full of people who are on time for their session, sat in harnesses and kids who are excited to have their briefing and get climbing! He stood outside for a further 5 minutes chatting away to a colleague before coming back. It was at this point he actually welcomes everyone in the room and advised of his name. I think perhaps this would be a bit more appropriate at the start of the session before harnessing the kids and trying to build a rapport with them. He paused the briefing video at some key points, at one point to make a "joke" about the fire alarm and how we have Evie in the kitchen today who has already set the alarm off with an empty pizza oven. Not very comforting or reassuring to know fire safety is made a joke of. Once out of the briefing, we headed downstairs and I made my way to the cafe where 3 members of the team were huddled in the chemical store. I was served and then my son asked for the slide wristband. A wristband couldn't be found at the cafe so the manager went to reception to grab one. Whilst waiting for the wristband, the colleague serving me just slumped themselves on the counter with head in hands yawning and wiping their eyes at the drama of having to wait for him to come back with a wristband. Once wristband was in hand, I thanked them and walked away. No thank you received from them for my custom. As I mentioned at the start, this isn't our first visit and I have had pleasant experiences in the past. I just felt on this occasion the staff just didn't seem interested and really lacked engagement and...

After the most terrible and rude experience I had at the Whiteley Rockup, I will not be likely to return here any time soon. Your staff need to be trained on how to conduct good manners when speaking to customers. I was attacked and spoken to in a very rude and aggressive manner by a young male staff member. My daughter entered the climbing arena and needed help to clip herself in to start climbing yet no one was around to help and another parent came and got his daughter to go on the wall even though my daughter was waiting for help. So I went in to help her as no staff was around and it was so busy. 5 minutes later a young male staff comes over to me raising his voice at me saying where is your wrist band? You can’t be in here without a wrist band or jacket. Threatening me to leave my daughter instead of telling me in a nice friendly manner and reassuring me that he would help my daughter he was rude, aggressive and dismissive person. I went straight to a manager who gave me a wrist band then I went in and he continued to attack me again. In the end another lady with short hair explained that the staff will all help with clipping in the kids when another mother was attacked too about the same thing. I told her I'll be putting in a complaint for the rudeness. I tried to find out the man's name but I was so upset and my daughter gave up her climbing after that interaction. It ruined our day. I'd retrain your staff about customer service and how to speak to people with respect and courtesy. I understand there are rules but do not accuse someone of not coming in with a wrist band when there was an obvious reason I was there to help my daughter as no one was around. Plus they did not give me a wristband at the time. And in particular that young man that works at Whiteley. He needs to be trained on how to speak to people with dignity and stop being aggressive. He is not helping the business with that sort...

Very disappointed with our first visit. Very enthusiastic briefing by a chap channelling his inner Bill Bailey promised much but once unleashed into the climbing area our three first timers (5, 6 and 8) were given no help by Rock Up staff.

Despite prolonged periods of waving the only assistance they got was from one of the parents who had secured a blue vest that allowed them in. 4 of these are available per session and had I known the limited number of staff available to help the kids I'd have tried my best to get one. They really need to mention how understaffed they are in the briefing and recommend parents work for them as volunteers despite having paid for them to do it.

When staff were asked for help on behalf of the kids (things like "can you advise which walls would be easier for a first visit?") they really couldn't spare any time to help out. This seemed to be a mix of indifference and being over stretched.

The vertical slide seems to be the only part where you're guaranteed some help, two staff members seemed glued to it at all times.

Probably a fun experience for confident kids who have climbed before but for timid newcomers who have mentioned they are a bit scared in the briefing it was poor. They had more fun on the soft play at the back than the main attraction.

I see very similar feedback from others on here as well as other review sources for this venue as well as favourable ones. Clearly there are issues that could be addressed with extra staff positioned in specific locations and some way of identifying inexperienced visitors who might need extra help.

I won't be back and wouldn't recommend Rock Up but will simply try a...