Disappointing spring and autumn sales made up by verdant Christmas
UK's leading garden centre chain Wyvale has improved merchandising and ranging over Christmas, increasing like-for-like sales for the 10 weeks to January 2 by 8.8 per cent. However, the strong sales over the holiday period had to make up for soft sales earlier in the year, with full-year like-for-like sales increasing by 0.3 per cent.

The retailer said that although furniture, barbeques and giftware sold well, horticulture and core gardening products were disappointing, because of poor weather in early spring and the autumn.

The retailer disposed of 11 under-performing sites to recoup£6.3 million in cash. It operates 115 sites.

Some 11 centres are being refurbished for the spring, with 15 more slated for refitting.

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