ScS has posted an uplift in like-for-like sales over the festive trading period as boss David Knight says he will retire next year after 32 years with the business.

The furniture specialist posted a 1.2% increase in orders in like-for-like terms in the nine weeks to January 25, which covered the festive trading period.

The retailer said this result was a marked improvement from its sales performance in the 17 weeks to January 25, when like-for-like order intake declined 7.1%.

The retailer said this decline has dragged down ScS’s overall interim sales in the 26 weeks to January 25 to 4.4%, with two-year like-for-like order intake also declining 2.9%.

These results come as long-standing chief executive David Knight unveiled plans to retire as a full-time board executive next year. A search for his successor is under way.

Chair Alan Smith said: “David has committed a very substantial part of his working career to ScS and has been pivotal to its success. We are delighted that he will remain in the role of group chief executive officer until we have his successor in place and have ensured an orderly handover.

“On behalf of the board, shareholders and all other ScS stakeholders, I thank David for his outstanding contribution to the group and wish him the best of health and happiness for his life beyond ScS.”