Topps Tiles enjoys uplift in sales despite a bank holiday setback
TOPPS TILES, the tile and wood-flooring specialist retailer, yesterday posted a sales rise in the third quarter of the year despite seeing trade disrupted by the diamond jubilee weekend.
Sales at stores open more than a year rose 2.1 per cent in the 13 weeks to 30 June compared with a 1.9 per cent decline in the same quarter last year.
But this marked a slowdown from the 4.5 per cent rise reported for the first seven weeks of the quarter, implying that like-for-like sales fell around 0.7 per cent in the last eight weeks.
“We have had a double bank holiday weekend in the second half of the quarter, which did bring down the whole number,” chief executive Matthew Williams said, adding that the group ended the period in positive territory.
“We are happy with that number overall and we are confident that we are taking market share in what continues to be a tough environment for discretionary products.”
Williams remained wary on the impact of the Olympics on the business, saying it was likely to have some effect but customers were likely to delay home improvement projects rather than cancel them.
“We have strong plans in terms of logistics to counteract any effects of disruptions,” he said.
The retailer opened three new stores in the quarter, bringing its total estate to 323. It plans to open a further three sites by the end of its financial year.