Beatties hit by Bullring
Like- for-like sales down for department store retailer
January 14 2004
Midlands-based department store group James Beattie says the opening of the Bullring has hit trade.
Beatties said that the Bullring, which opened in September anchored by Selfridges and Debenhams, “has had a major impact on retailing in the Midlands and has adversely affected all of our stores in the region, in particular our Birmingham store which continues to trade below expectations.”
The company said total sales for the seven weeks to January 10 were flat, with like-for-likes, which exclude the newly opened store at Telford, down by 5.9 per cent.
Beatties said sales were also affected by widespread discounting by competitors during in the run-up to Christmas period, which it avoided.
It added that sales at itsthe recently opened store in Huddersfield and the newly opened Telford store have been ahead of expectations.
