Hitting the wall

Brian Bliss and Al Sarhan have given up secure, well-paid jobs to open The Wall, a new climbing facility in Sandyford that aims to be the best of its kind in the country

When I first meet Brian Bliss in early December, he has a black eye and looks like a man who hasn’t slept much in recent days. The 34-year-old is covered in dust and dressed in workman’s overalls. It is a freezing cold day in Sandyford Industrial Estate, with an icy wind blowing off the mountains.

In contrast to his scruffy appearance and the bitter temperature, Bliss’s greeting is warm and full of energy. ...