A New Climbing Shop in Leeds - Mountain Intelligence

UKC Gear

2nd October, 2008

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Mountain Intelligence: Opening Saturday October 11th

website: www.mountain-intelligence.co.uk/

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Over the years Leeds has had several dedicated climbing and outdoor shops, perhaps the most famous being Centresport, which with Steve Foster as the climbing manager, was the hub of climbing in Leeds.........along with the Rupert Beckett wall.

Now after a long spell without a specialist retailer, Leeds is to finally get an independent climbing and mountaineering store!

Mountain Intelligence is the brainchild of 36 year old Chris Hague, and Chris plans a climbing and mountaineering shop with a difference.

Many of the outdoor chains concentrate on a few key pieces from the major outdoor companies and cater for the masses. However, Chris plans to focus on the leading brands such as Arcteryx, Black Diamond, DMM, Evolv, Five Ten, Grivel, La Sportiva, Scarpa, Metolius, Patagonia and Prana - offering a greater range of products for the more discerning boulderer, climber and mountaineer.

Suffice to say the Mountain Intelligence team are all keen climbers, runners and mountain bikers who will promote 'quality' and 'function' of the specialist product giving good solid advice born of experience rather than just price.

The MI store is situated at 70 North Street in the centre of Leeds and will open Saturday October 11th. The unit is a spacious 3,700sq ft with great period features, high ceilings, large windows, exposed redbrick, solid wood flooring - all sympathetically restored or maintained during the refurbishment. Mountain Intelligence has joined 1% for the planet and is taking seriously environmental considerations in shop design, energy consumption and management. There is shower and changing facilities at the store so that the team can run/bike to work and get/stay fit.

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The MI Winter '08 Lecture Series

Along with ample space for clothing, equipment and footwear the store will also be used to host a series of lectures, vintage equipment and an extensive offering of guidebooks and maps.

The MI Winter '08 Lecture Series will commence with James Pearson on Wednesday 22nd October, followed by Steph Davis November 19th and Ian Parnell on December 10th.

Tickets are available by contacting the store direct on 0113 246 9843

About Chris Hague

Chris has quite a pedigree in both the climbing industry and on the rocks. He started climbing at Almscliff in his early teens and soon graduated to climbing in North Wales, Scotland and the Lakes. In more recent years he's climbed ice, rock and big walls and snowboarded all over Europe and North America.

Chris started out as an outdoor instructor and worked part-time for Wilderness Ways, which later became Nevisport. He moved on to work for Rab Carrington as the Northern Sales Representative but later returned to retail – working for Andy Hyslop's Rock+Run as the Operations Manager/Retail Buyer.

Until recently, Chris was working for Vodafone as a Retail Development Manager responsible for the retail store estate strategy and a £16m 50 store expansion programme but has given up his corporate role to pursue a dream, combining business and his passion.

Married to Claire, an ex-GB Olympic Swimmer and former World Record Holder they live in north Leeds, just a stone's throw from Caley and Almscliffe.