A Cornwall-based movie stunt rigger whose CV includes Hollywood blockbusters such as Venom: The Last Dance from the Marvel series, starring Tom Hardy, and 1917, set during the penultimate year of the First World War, has opened a new bouldering wall Cornwall with funding from SWIG Finance.
Guy McDonald and his wife, Julia (Jules), opened BoulderRyn in Penryn near Falmouth in early September and were instantly swamped with keen climbers. “By the end of day two, we had reached capacity and facing one in, one out,” said Guy.
The business got off the ground thanks to the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme and further support from its South West Investment Fund.
An experienced stunt rigger, Guy has spent the past 15 years working in the film industry, ensuring stunts in UK and US blockbuster productions are carried out safely.
While much of his work took place on home turf, he would occasionally be required to spend lengthy periods out of the country. “For Venom, spent five months across the UK and Spain, and only had one weekend at home,” he explained. “I was really keen to spend less time on film sets, especially given that our daughter is nine – it’s an important time of life, and I don’t want to miss out on that.”
The closure of a local climbing facility left a gap in the market at a time when climbing is the fastest-growing sport in the UK, with people happy to travel for good facilities.
“We’d been discussing for some time what kind of business we might be able set up as a family venture,” added Jules, who works part-time in primary school education while contributing to the new venture. “With competition climbing featuring in the Tokyo and Paris Olympics, it seemed like a good time to do this.”
Guy’s own love of climbing was nurtured during childhood on Sussex sandstone and honed globally in locations including Australia and Thailand, where he helped to launch a climbing school. His in-depth knowledge of the sport enabled him to call upon the best in the business, including Olympic-level designers who worked to Guy’s brief to produce more than 90 routes over 300 square metres, appealing to climbers of all ages and abilities.
Nestled in Kernick Business Park, the facility is perfectly positioned to appeal to students on the adjacent Falmouth University campus, and local businesses in search of a fun team-building activity. The couple hope to introduce themed nights to attract newcomers to the sport and bring named professionals in for showcase days.
The facility now employs 10 people – a mix of students and locals – with plans for an enhanced café offer and a retail shop in the near future.
Guy and Jules’ business mentor, John Whittaker at Access 2 Finance, introduced them to local small business lender, SWIG Finance, who approved the two Start Up Loans, one for each director, alongside a business loan from the South West Investment Fund.
The British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme offers fixed-rate personal loans of up to £25,000 per director and free mentoring to help anyone start or grow a new or early-stage business. The Bank’s £200m South West Investment Fund has a range of commercial finance options with smaller loans from £25k to £100k, debt finance from £100k to £2m and equity investment up to £5 million.
The bulk of the funding was invested in the bouldering wall, climbing holds, matting and climbing shoes, with further expenditure channeled into practical matters including lease deposit, card reader and till, website and refreshment provisions.
Suzy Lowe and Rachel Thomson at SWIG Finance supported the couple with their loan applications. “They were brilliant – we had lots of online meetings and they were extremely supportive,” said Jules.
“It was quite a tricky learning curve for us, but no question was ever a stupid one and we had done business plans and financial forecasts with John, so all the details were there. They were encouraging and excited for us, which was amazing. We have already recommended them to other people.”
Suzy Lowe said: “Guy and Julia are a force combined, with the skills and expertise to make this business a great success and attract participation from across the country to the South West. It was a pleasure to understand their passion for launching an amazing facility in Cornwall. Building the loan application was very much a team effort and both were fully on board. This business will be a great asset, and I wish them every success.”
About SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. We base our lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that we can often support businesses when others can’t.
We’re growing every year. In 2024/25, we lent £14.8m to 501 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,272 jobs and generate £75.7m in social impact. Download the report here.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to see how we can help: [email protected] / 01872 227 930
About Start Up Loans
The Start Up Loans programme provides personal loans for business purposes of up to £25,000 at a fixed interest rate per annum and offers free dedicated mentoring and support to each business.
The primary aim of the Start Up Loans programme is to ensure that viable start-ups and early-stage businesses have access to the finance and support they need in order to thrive. A network of Business Support Partner organisations supports applicants in all regions and industries throughout the UK. The Start Up Loans programme is not designed to generate a commercial profit. Capital payments together with the interest are recycled to help meet increasing demands for finance.
Free guides on a range of subjects related to starting a business are available on the Start Up Loans website: https://www.startuploans.co.uk/free-start-up-guides/. You can find recent media press releases here: https://www.startuploans.co.uk/media-centre/.
The funding for the Start Up Loans programme is provided by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The Start Up Loans programme is operated by The Start-Up Loans Company, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and Wales, registration number 08117656, registered office at Steel City House, West Street, Sheffield, S1 2GQ.
The Start-Up Loans Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of British Business Bank plc which is a development bank wholly owned by HM Government. British Business Bank plc and its subsidiaries are not banking institutions and do not operate as such. With the exception of BBB Investment Services Limited they are not authorised or regulated by the Prudential Regulation Authority or the Financial Conduct Authority. BBB Investment Services Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
A complete legal structure chart for the group can be found at www.british-business-bank.co.uk.
Press realease and images courtesy of SWIG Finance
