MAJESTIC Wine defied the pre-Christmas snow – thanks to a surplus of stock in stores and the determination of shoppers to get their festive tipple.
The group, which has a store at Queensgate in Huddersfield, lifted like-for-like sales by 3.7% in the nine weeks to January 3 as it kept stores trading throughout the adverse weather.
Majestic said the weather conditions knocked about 1.5% to 2% off sales growth as customers found it difficult to get to stores due to the snow and ice.
Sales during what is traditionally its busiest day – the Saturday before Christmas – were around half the normal level.
But chief executive Steve Lewis said customers battled through the “dreadful” December weather to buy their festive booze in between the snowfalls.
He said that with an average of 12 weeks stock held, even the worst-affected outlets were able to keep trading despite delivery difficulties.
