Conran shops make loss

Habitat founder Sir Terence Conran saw his current retail venture hit group sales for the twelve months to the end of March. Sales at The Conran Shop chain are understood to have made a loss for the year of£2.1 million on£33 million turnover.

Parent company, Conran Holdings, which also handles the Conran restaurant business, showed a profit for the period, but at a decrease of 36 per cent to£1.2 million.

Group sales were down from£114 million to£108.5 million. The company's restaurant arm experienced a growth in profits, offsetting retail's poor performance.

Once the leading light in high street furniture design, Conran's retail outlets are now thought to have been overtaken by rivals. The retailer was forced to close two shops, in London and Paris, earlier this year.