Welcome news for beleaguered Bonmarché as sales rise

Sales have increased 7.6% in the last quarter at struggling womenswear retailer Bonmarché in welcome news for new chief executive Helen Connolly.

Connolly, who was instated only a year ago at the Wakefield-based retailer, was forced to oversee a profit warning which saw its share price dive as investors

Now, the company has seen sales for the 13 weeks to the beginning of July 2017 increase by 7.6% on the same period last year.

Connolly will be breathing a sigh of relief as turnaround plans begin to bear fruit, with store like-for-like sales increased by 4.2% and online sales increased by 39%.

Last month, the group reported that pre-tax profits dipped nearly 40% to £5.8m for the year to 1 April 2017. However revenues increased and online sales were up.

Helen Connolly, a former director of buying womenswear at Asda’s George label, said: “I am pleased with the improvement in trading and in particular the further progress in online sales.

“Whilst we are in the early stages of implementing our strategy, I am encouraged by the positive response from customers to the developments in our ranges and the improvements we are making to the shopping experience.

“The improved sales performance during the first quarter, achieved in a clothing market which remains challenging, underpins our confidence in the strategy, and our expectations for the full year remain unchanged.”