Yorkshire clothing retailer continues strong performance

WOMEN’S clothing retailer Bonmarché has increased like-for-like sales.

In a trading update for the 13 week and 39 week periods ended Saturday December 27  2014, the Wakefield-headquartered business, one of the UK’s largest women’s value retailers, reported that headline LFL sales increased by 3.8% for the 13 weeks, bringing the figure for the year so far to 6.4%. Combining online sales growth with the LFL figure, raises the quarter’s figure to 5.8% and the figure for the year so far to 8.6%.

At the end of December 2014, Bonmarché traded from 282 stores and online, up from 264 the previous year.

Beth Butterwick, chief executive officer of Bonmarché, said: “We are satisfied with Bonmarché’s Q3 performance in a challenging, promotionally-driven market. Gross margins remained under pressure, but we continued to make positive LFL sales gains. Much of the challenge in the clothing market was due to the prolonged mild weather, which began in September and continued until mid-December.

“The board believes that the year’s performance will be in line with its expectations.”