A SPORTSMAN is eyeing business success after helping his team to promotion glory this season.

Mark Cholmondeley, director of Big Chummers Clothing Limited, opened his first high street store in Hartlepool just a year after setting up his sports, school and workwear business.

And the development comes only weeks after the former England schoolboy rugby star helped his West Hartlepool side become North Two East champions this season.

The 29-year-old prop said: "The business has taken off brilliantly and moving to the shop will give us a real presence in the town.

"It has been one quick jump after another for us, with my dad joining us full-time since the beginning of February, and now the opening of the new retail premises within the first 18 months of operation.

"I can't claim much credit for the West promotion as I only played a couple of games at the start of the season as business has been so busy.

"I still qualify for a winner's medal though."

Big Chummers Clothing was set up in April last year as a partnership with Mark and his dad, Bill Cholmondeley, but from April of this year the company changed its status to limited due to the sharp growth of the business.

Big Chummers Clothing currently trades from Hartlepool Enterprise Centre in Brougham Terrace, but has moved to a unit in the popular York Road.

The company provides personalised branded sportswear to football, rugby, cricket and bowls clubs across the North- East, and has recently branched out into school and corporate clothing.

Through their local sporting contracts, the company is the official kit supplier for a number of sports teams throughout the North-East.

Mr Cholmondeley said: "We have some top sports brands on board, including Canterbury, Kooga, Samurai and Nike.

They have a policy not to supply retailers too close together so our nearest rivals for these brands are in Newcastle and York.

"The shop will allow sales of individual sportswear and teamwear, plus a large selection of schoolwear.

"We are hoping the York Road shop will encourage more people to come in and have a look around. Obviously we won't have the room to stock scrum machines, but we are able to order in almost anything."