Cold snap boosts outdoor chain's sales

British outdoor retailer Blacks Leisure said today that it had benefited from Britain’s cold snap as it reported a hike in winter sales.

Blacks, which operates its own brand shops as well as the Millets chain, said it had seen a very strong Christmas trading period, with like-for-like sales in the six weeks to January 7 up 15.2% on last year.

The chain said it had “significantly enhanced its recovery prospects” after a restructuring and the closure 87 of loss-making stores in the fourth quarter of 2009.