Berghaus celebrates 60th with first North West store

British outdoor clothing and equipment brand Berghaus, which celebrates its 60th anniversary this year, will be opening a new 2,750 sq ft store at Manchester Arndale “later this year”, marking the brand’s first standalone store in the North West.

Berghaus was founded in 1966 in Newcastle upon Tyne by climbers and mountaineers Peter Lockey and Gordon Davison, who initially opened an outdoor equipment store named the LD Mountain Centre before creating Berghaus, which means “mountain house” in German.

Pentland Brands acquired Berghaus in 1993, and it has recently built a strong following among young consumers, fuelled by the rise of ‘gorpcore’ and athleisure.

It has also long been a firm favourite on the streets and football terraces of Manchester, brought into the spotlight when Liam Gallagher wore a Berghaus jacket on stage in Oslo, Norway, in 1997 on night one of Oasis’s European leg of the ‘Be Here Now’ tour.

The tri-colour ‘Trango’ jacket that Gallagher originally wore was relaunched in 2024, along with two other outerwear ‘Icons’, with the Oasis lead singer fronting the campaign, which appeared in several out-of-home (OOH) locations, including billboards, murals and fly posters across Manchester, Newcastle and London.

Franck Denglos, EMEA President, Pentland Brands, said: “Sixty years after Berghaus was founded in the North of England, opening our first standalone store in the North West feels like a natural homecoming.

“As a bold, outdoor and British brand, we're excited to put down roots in Manchester and connect with consumers in one of the UK's most vibrant retail destinations. Manchester Arndale's scale, energy and reach make it the perfect stage for the next chapter of the Berghaus story.”

Berghaus will join a wave of recent brand commitments to Manchester Arndale, including Arc'teryx, Alo Yoga, Pro:Direct, GARAGE and Represent, further strengthening the destination’s position as a premier regional hub for fashion, sportswear and lifestyle retail.

Steve Gray, Head of European Retail Asset Management at Global Mutual, said: “Berghaus joining Manchester Arndale is a clear example of how leading retailers are responding to evolving consumer trends and investing in standout physical retail destinations.

“The brand is a fantastic addition to our line-up and further enhances the scheme’s appeal to Gen Z consumers, who are driving the popularity of gorpcore and outdoor-inspired fashion.”

Berghaus currently operates outlet stores at Gloucester Quays Designer Outlet and Caledonia Park in Gretna, Scotland, previously known as Gretna Gateway Outlet Village.